Incomplete
by the.terrorist
Summary: AU. Sasu/Saku. When her father told her she would have to marry a guy she knew nothing about, just because that was the best for their family, she knew she couldn't say no, just like she knew she wouldn't be happy. She just never imagined it to be that bad.
1. Happy Birthday?

_**A/N:** Just an idea that had been swimming through my head for a while :D This is an AU and the characters may be slight OOC. It's not a warning, or anything. I was just saying - if it happens, don't get mad. :) Also, this story will contain A LOT of drama. And yes, that is a warning. Enjoy the first chapter!_

_**Summary:** When her father first told her she was going to have to marry some guy she knew nothing about, just because that was the best for their family, she knew she couldn't say no, just like she knew she wouldn't be happy. She just never imagined it to be that bad._

_**Warning:** Rated M for mature themes, violence and language._

_**Disclaimer:** Naruto © Kishimoto Masashi_

_English is not my first language, so sorry for any mistakes._

_**WARNING (2):** The first chapters (about half of the story, really) are old and unedited. Proceed at your own risk!  
_

* * *

_**I****ncomplete**  
By The Terrorist_

_**Chapter one  
**Happy Birthday?_

* * *

The sky was still painted a dark purple, but the stars were long gone. Small streaks of fiery red and orange could be seen in the distance, signs that the sun would rise soon. On the ground, there were no movements, every being probably still sleeping. The wind blew lightly from time to time, making the trees' leaves and branches move the slightest bit.

It was still early in the morning.

A beautiful, pink haired, green eyed woman was comfortably sitting on her window seat, silently gazing outside. Her feet were tucked beneath her, her back resting against the wall; small pillows surrounded her, a dark green one being held onto her lap. Strange, but she always liked getting up early. Everything was so quiet, so peaceful…the exact opposite of what she was living.

Uchiha Sakura, as she was now called, could definitely say that her life was a complete disaster. The only thing she had ever wanted…was to be loved. But it seemed like that was not meant for her, like that wish was too faraway for her to reach. She never understood why – it didn't seem to her like she asked for much.

Her parents never loved her and, if they did, they certainly didn't bother with showing it. They were always so cold, so uncaring…she never got a chance to talk to them, to tell them what was happening in her life…they were never there when she was happy, or when she was sad, they never comforted her when she had a nightmare, or when she was just scared of simple things, like any child was bound to be, they never took their time to read her stories, or tuck her in at night…in other words: _they were never there._

Her father was always busy at work and, when he wasn't, he didn't bother with her; her mother, although she didn't have a job, was always too busy with her friends, or with her daily activities – namely, shopping and stuff – and she never had time for her. She never wanted to spend time with her, anyway.

She often wondered if they hated her, but then she remembered that she hadn't done anything wrong…at least nothing that she was aware of.

There was only one person that had truly loved her. But he was long gone, leaving her completely alone. Well, maybe not alone…she had her husband, but…but their relationship resembled the one between her and her parents. He didn't care and, sincerely speaking, why would he? Who could blame him? After all, the reason they got married for was not love.

When her father first told her she was going to have to marry some guy she knew nothing about, just because that was the best for their family, she knew she couldn't say no, just like she knew she wouldn't be happy. She just never imagined it to be that bad.

As she had said before, nobody could blame him for not wanting anything to do with her. She didn't want anything to do with him, either. Or maybe…maybe she did…okay, she did. She had thought that…that maybe, just maybe, she would find in him the love and comfort she had always needed. When she first met him, she realized he was a cold person, maybe even colder than her father, and that he never seemed to care about anything that happened around him.

She knew he wasn't happy with the marriage, either, for he hadn't spoken one word to her. But even so, she kept hoping. Hoping that he would change his mind, that he would…I don't know…at least start to_...like her_? However, it didn't happen; at first, she blamed him, because she knew she had tried her hardest to make their marriage work. Arranged or not, she had really wanted it to…to be okay, in the end. But she soon realized it was all her fault. Her fault for getting her hopes up, her fault for even thinking that he would want her around him.

It was because of _her _that she got her heart broken.

They lived in the same house, but rarely saw each other. He was always at work, or…who knew? Maybe he spent his time with somebody else. The pinkette was not stupid, she knew he had somebody out there, another woman. After all, he was a man, and she never let him touch her. It wasn't like he had shown any interest, and it wasn't like she was going to sleep with him, either. In other words, it was like they weren't married._ No._ That sounded way too nice. Because, the way the others saw it, they were married and in love, living a very happy life. After all, that was what their marriage was all about: _façades_. Basically, they didn't need to love each other, but couldn't live their lives, either.

She couldn't go to college like she had always wanted (Why? Because her father slowly and carefully explained that people wouldn't see it as a good thing; they would think that being with her husband wasn't enough for her and that he didn't treat her well enough. In other words, she couldn't got o college and get a normal job, because it would ruin his reputation), she couldn't have real friends (Why? Because she would have to lie to them about her relationship with her husband; and we all know that real friend have no secrets), she couldn't travel like she had always waned (Why? Because it wouldn't be good for people to see her traveling without her husband; and her husband…well, there was no way they could handle spending so much time together), she couldn't fall in love with anybody (Why? Do we even have to talk about this?).

His life wasn't any better, though he could go and fuck as many women as he wanted, maybe even have some kind of secret relationship with them. But she couldn't do so; not only had she no occasions to meet men, but also because…well, she wasn't a whore. She knew she could never sleep with another man and then look at her husband ever again. She didn't even want to try. She just…she just couldn't.

Slowly, she tore her gaze away from the window, only to look down at her hands. Today…today was March 28…her birthday. For a lot of people, it wasn't a special day. For her…it wasn't such a special day, either. It pained her, yes, but she had gotten used to it. When she was still living with her parents, they actually took their time to wish her a happy birthday and, even though those words were always spoken in a cold and indifferent tone, she had learned how to appreciate it. Then they would give her some money to get herself a present and…well, that was it.

Now, however, they didn't even bother with a call. Her husband was never interested in her birthday – even if they had been married for almost two years now, she highly doubted he knew when she was born.

Sighing softly, she stood up from her comfortable spot and headed towards the bathroom to take a shower. She took her time in washing her hair and her body, knowing that, most likely, she was alone in the house, anyway. She got out of the bathroom about half an hour later, a small, white towel wrapped around her body. She crossed the room and entered her walk-in closet; she pulled out a set of underwear, a pair of dark skinny jeans, a purple, long sleeved shirt and a pair of high heeled shoes, and pulled them on, before slowly making her way downstairs.

As expected, everything was silent. But that didn't bother her before, so why did she feel like that now?_ 'I should cheer up…it is my birthday, after all,'_ she told herself and tried to smile, but soon found herself unable to. She didn't cry, but it hurt…it hurt a lot. And, honestly, she didn't know how much more she could take.

~•~

The day had passed rather quickly, the hope of somebody thinking about her existence never disappearing from Sakura's mind and heart. It was already late in the afternoon when she arrived home with a few bags in her hands and a small smile present on her face. Shopping had done her good, just like it always did.

"Shiro," she called as she crossed the living room, placing her bags on the couch.

Shiro was a man in his early fifties, one of the servants – actually, one he and his niece, Yuki, worked there. She wasn't really sure of what he was supposed to be doing, but she could only guess that he was helpful enough. After all, her husband wasn't one that would keep useless people around. It wasn't like she was complaining, she actually liked the guy, not only because he was always in the house, which made her feel a little less alone, but also because he knew what to say in order to calm her down on those rare occasions when she just…broke down.

Being always around, it was obvious that he knew of the situation she and her husband were in, and she knew he had tried his best to understand it, without getting too involved. And it felt good, to some extent. It felt good knowing that somebody actually tried to understand what was going on in her life. It didn't matter that he couldn't fully understand – that was impossible, anyway; what mattered was that he _tried._

"Yes, miss," he said as he entered the room.

"Did somebody call?" she asked hopefully, her green eyes sparkling the slightest bit.

"No, miss. Nobody called," he answered, shaking his head.

The small smile she wore on her face disappeared as soon as she heard those words; she frowned slightly. "Not even my parents?" she asked, her voice soft and disappointed.

"No, miss."

She sighed and ran a hand through her pink locks. Why did she even expect them to call? They didn't call during her last two birthdays. Why now? Inwardly shaking her head, she forced a smile to her lips as she spoke, "Okay, thanks. You can go home; tomorrow's Saturday," she said and watched as he nodded and left the room. Another sigh escaped her lips as she picked up her bags and slowly moved towards the stairs.

~•~

Later that night, Sakura entered the kitchen, already dressed in her pajamas. She had on a pair of black, short shorts and a hot pink tank top; her hair was pulled up in a messy bun, with only a few rebel bangs falling into her face. She crossed the room in order to reach the fridge, opening it as soon as she reached it. She pulled out a bottle of wine and poured herself a glass, before moving towards the dining room and sitting on one of the chairs. The table was long, long enough to fit at least twelve persons.

_'How ironic,'_ she thought, shaking her head slightly. _'Why so many chairs, when nobody's home, anyway?'_

The sound of the front door closing snapped her out of her thoughts and she frowned, not understanding, at first, who it could be. But, as soon as she remembered how late it actually was, she realized it could only be one person. She was proved right as he entered the room only moments later.

The white button up shirt he wore had the top three buttons unfastened, revealing a small part of his chiseled chest. The sleeves were folded up to his elbow, revealing his strong forearms, the black tie around his collar was loosened and his shirt wasn't tucked into the dark pants of his suit. His spiky, ebony hair was messier than usual and his expression was blank, as usual, though his dark eyes showed just how tired he was. He raised an eyebrow at the sight of the glass from her hand.

"Celebrating?" he asked, an almost mocking tone added to his voice. Remember what I said earlier? About how they barely saw each other? Well, when they did, it certainly wasn't the best thing that could happen to them that day. She didn't know why, but he was always like that; he always mocked her and spat things that, unknown to him, hurt her. And she didn't know why, because, just like him, she had never wanted this marriage.

One time, it occurred to her that he might hate her because she didn't say no to her family's wish, but then she realized that he would have no right to think like that. After all, he had been in all his rights to refuse this, just like her. She had tried many times to figure out his behavior, she had spent countless nights crying and thinking about all the possible reasons. But then…then she came to the conclusion that he didn't need a reason. He didn't need a reason to hate her. He simply _did_. And maybe, in time, she would be able to feel the same.

"Yup," she said, nodding, before taking another sip of her wine.

"Really?" he asked, raising an eyebrow in amusement. "Celebrating what?"

She shook her head slightly, before turning to face him with a sweet, yet fake, smile. "It's my birthday!" she exclaimed in a cheery voice and watched as something akin to shock flashed to his eyes for a second, before disappearing under his emotionless mask. "Aren't you going to wish me a happy birthday?" she asked, faking to sound disappointed. He stayed quiet and she used it to her advantage. "That's okay," she said as she drank the remaining contents of her glass, before standing up and taking a few steps towards him. "A few more hours and this day's over, anyway…" she trailed off, gesturing towards the clock that hung on the wall. It was already ten pm.

"Don't feel guilty for not knowing, or for not remembering…after all, if not even my own parents know that I exist, then you're excused of everything…I don't have friends, or any other siblings…so the fact that my own husband has forgotten about this shouldn't affect me very much." Sakura felt how her eyes got glassier with every word she said, but she continued, refusing to let the tears fall. "In case you…in case you haven't noticed this yet, I didn't want this marriage either, Sasuke," she said and watched as he frowned, probably not understand what had their marriage to do with her birthday.

"I'm just telling you this now, because I rarely get the chance to talk to you and because I want you to know this," she explained and placed her glass on the table. "Good night," she said as she walked past him, intending on going to sleep. However, she had barely taken two steps away from him, when she felt something that made her stop dead in her track.

"By the way," she spoke, her voice shaking slightly. "Nice perfume."

* * *

_**A/N:** Okay, first of all, thank you all for taking your time and reading this! I know that the first chapter had been short, but I just had to cut it there! I assure you that the other chapters will be a long longer. By the way, in next chapter you'll find out how Sasuke thinks about all this._

_Confused?  
If you have any questions about the plot or whatever, don't hesitate to ask me!_

_Is it worth continuing? Tell me what you think about this and review, please! :)_


	2. The Truth Hurts

_A/N: Gosh, guys, I'm so very sorry for the long wait! I think some of you even thought that I'm not going to continue this. Well, of course I will! Your feedback has been amazing – in fact, you are amazing! So, thank you very much for all your reviews, and forgive me for being a lazy writer._

_Enjoy!_

* * *

_**Incomplete**  
By The Terrorist_

_**Chapter two**  
The Truth Hurts_

* * *

A quiet sigh escaped Sasuke's lips as he closed the door of his room; slowly, as if not in a hurry at all, he started walking down the hallway. He looked more bored than anything else, regarding everything in his path with an impassive, cold stare. Stopping for a moment to check the time, he sighed again, then resumed his walking. He always had to get up early, and it wasn't exactly because he wanted to – it was like a part of his routine, and he couldn't do anything about it.

But there were times like these when he wished he was able to sleep a little longer; there was no place that required his immediate attention, so he now had nothing to do for the next half an hour. It was a good thing he had things to do at work – television and everything else did nothing to entertain him these days. Well, yeah, most people didn't work on Saturdays, but that was mainly because they had somebody waiting for them at home; they had a parent, a brother, a wife, a child.

As you can probably tell, he wasn't like most people.

Sure, he had a wife, but their relationship was not the ideal one. When his father first told him that he was going to have to marry a person he knew nothing about, just because that was the best for their family, the first thing he had felt was anger. What right did he think he had to control his life like that?

Sasuke didn't want to marry – he never did. Although girls had always thrown themselves on him – thanks to his looks and money – he had never considered any of them worthy of his attention. The only thing he ever used them for was sex. Sure, there had been girls who were lucky enough to have him in their bed twice, thrice, or even more than that, but from there, to actually being in a relationship with him was a long way.

Sasuke had never liked committing to anything. That's why he never did so.

Given that fact, you can probably imagine how angry he was when he found out what his father had done to him. He had, of course, questioned his decisions, but the only thing he received in response was a shake of the head from Fugaku, and the 'it's the best for our family' thing. His mother, who didn't seem to agree with her husband, but couldn't do anything about it, had tried to make him understand that it wasn't that bad, that he could still find happiness. Every time, however, Sasuke had this urge to laugh at her.

After all, what did _she_ know? She knew nothing. It wasn't her who was involved into this situation; giving advices when she had no idea how it felt was easy.

He knew this was never going to work out. He had never even had a _girlfriend_ – how was marriage going to work out? For him, girls meant just a fuck – how was he supposed to feel something else for…for his _wife?_ A marriage was built on trust. Trust and love, right? He could trust people. Yeah, he could. It took those persons a long time to finally gain his trust, but whatever. The point is, trust wasn't a problem for him. But _love_? He had never felt love; maybe because he didn't find the right person yet, maybe because he didn't allow himself to feel that. Or maybe he just _couldn't._

When he was younger, he used to compare himself to his father. They were both a lot alike, and we aren't just talking about looks here; their personalities were pretty much the same, too. Fugaku was cold and seemed rather uncaring; a selfish person, indeed, emotionless, with only a few people that could understand his behavior. Sasuke, too.

But Fugaku really did love Mikoto – in his own, rather original, way, but he loved her. Sasuke noticed that a long time ago, when he was probably still in high school. The way his father talked to her, the way he treated her, the way his eyes would soften just at the sight of her, the way his voice was always warmer, calmer when addressing her…

Sasuke had come up to the conclusion that he wouldn't be able to feel that – _ever_. But it never bothered him. He didn't want to fall in love; people did stupid things when in love, and he certainly didn't want that. He was a rational person, one that always put his thoughts in front of his feelings. And he was selfish; what others thought or felt didn't concern him at all.

His wife was different – at least, that's what he thought. He had never put any effort in getting to know her – he had rejected her the minute he met her – but living with a person for so long was bound to have some kind of effect on him. Unintentionally, he had learned a lot of her habits, and he now knew how she reacted to certain things, how she behaved in certain situations.

It was nothing more than that, though, and he was well aware of that fact that he might know nothing at all about her real self – what if she pretended to be something she was not? He couldn't know and he didn't want to, either. Since façades had become a big, important part of his life, he might as well resume at that.

She seemed really kind, always putting others before herself. Sakura was the only person he had met who worried about people she didn't even know, about some things she saw on the news. Although she had never told him anything about it – communication between the two of them was something that almost never happened – he knew she wished she could do something to help others – the look in her green eyes told him that.

The pinkette was quite spoiled, too. She liked going shopping, from where she always came with a lot of bags. He had never seen her wearing an article of clothing twice – not that he had been paying much attention – and she had a habit of changing cars every six months. She did all that with his money, of course, and he often wondered if she did it as some kind of revenge for the way he treated her, but, anyway, it didn't bother him. Money had never been a problem for him and, with the way he was working, it probably never would.

Although she looked pretty sociable, Sasuke didn't think she had friends; maybe she did and he had never met them, but he doubted it. She was always home when he came back from work, which would be really weird if she had friends – weren't friends supposed to go out and…have fun? Clubbing, dancing, watching movies, walking…err, whatever? Not to mention that her cell phone almost never rang.

Sasuke also happened to know how sincere she was – she never cared about what others thought of her, she just said what she was thinking – and he doubted that she would ever have the necessary strength to lie to a friend. She didn't even lie to strangers; how could she lie to the persons she was close to?

The marriage had had an effect – and it wasn't necessary a good one – on her, just like it had on him. Although there was no relationship whatsoever between the two of them, they weren't exactly free, either. They always had to hide what they felt, had to restrain themselves from doing the things they wanted to do. They had to pretend they were happy together when, in fact, they didn't even talk to each other.

Words were exchanged, yes, but it couldn't always be classified as…_communicating_. Sasuke would spat some things at her and she would hiss back, or just get out of the room, probably too tired to fight with him. Because that's what they always ended up doing – fighting. Why was he even acting like that towards her? Why did he treat her so badly? Why was he _still_ treating her so badly? Well, he didn't exactly know. Maybe it was because he needed someone to be mad at, he needed someone who he could make suffer for what his father had done to him.

Sure, he was aware of the fact that Sakura was the wrong person for that – she didn't want the marriage, either; it was clear to him, from the moment he had seen her, that she was doing this because she respected her father, her family just as much as he did his. However, he couldn't care less. But he wasn't stupid – he had noticed how many times she had tried to get it right, to make things work between them. And she didn't do it because she liked him, or because she wanted him in her bed – like other girls would probably do, in her situation. She did it because, just like his mother, she thought that this could actually work. Arranged or not, she still hoped that this marriage would be okay, in the end.

But even when he realized that, even though he had always wanted to meet a girl like her – one that would be interested in more than his money and looks – he paid no mind to it. He forced himself to ignore that, he forced himself not to care. Why? Once again, he had no idea.

She was beautiful, smart and kind; her body looked perfect enough, her smile was downright dazzling. So, what stopped him from…from falling for her?

He believed it was his stubbornness. He didn't want to marry, he didn't think this was going to work, he refused to change his lifestyle on his father's whim. He still worked more than necessary, he still fucked every woman he wanted to, he was still cold, still uncaring, still selfish, still a bastard to most people. Nothing could ever change him, unless it would be his own decision.

It was as simple as that, and it was just the way he liked it. He didn't even want to try something knew; he was okay with the way things were now, period._ End of story_.

In his way downstairs, he stopped for a moment in front of her door. They didn't even sleep in the same room. Never, in these two – almost three now – years, had he touched her. The only kiss they shared was on their wedding day, but it had been just a cold, small kiss; no emotions were put in the small act, and it wasn't like he had been paying much attention – he just wanted to end it all – but, for some reason or another, he could still remember the softness of her lips.

Sasuke was not a liar, and he was not afraid to admit that he was kind of attracted to her. Sure, he felt nothing for her, but the pinkette really was beautiful; with her pastel pink hair and forest green eyes, she looked special and exotic. She was thin, slender; rather small, compared to himself, but still perfect, in a way.

She was probably the only woman for whom his mind had found so many adjectives, and had never been fucked by him.

He intended to keep it that way, though, for complications were the last thing he needed. Their relationship – or lack thereof – was something he was already used to, and everybody knew how much he hated the change. Besides, it wasn't like he had no one to have sex with. He had…he had enough; he had from where to choose.

However, that didn't mean that it wasn't almost a torture for him to see her in all those short…_things_ she always wore to bed.

Take last night for an example: black shorts? Really, now. Those were really short, and the way she was curled up on that seat didn't help him at all. But she looked pretty sad and worn out, which immediately directed his attention from what she was wearing, to what she was feeling. Not that he cared about that, but, you know, he was kind of_ curious_. Sasuke was more of an indifferent person, but he liked knowing what was going on around him – that, of course, didn't actually classify as caring. Which is why he talked to her the way he did.

There was no denying the fact that he was shocked when she told him it was her birthday. He never knew when she was born and, from what she had told him, he could see that her parents had forgotten about it. It felt strange, knowing that he had lived with her for so long, and he didn't even know when her birthday was, but it wasn't exactly something he had to worry for. As I said before, getting to know her was the last thing on his mind; actually, he didn't think it was even _on_ his mind. There were other, more important things he had to take care of.

Her presence, her perfume, her behavior…simply_ her_, were things that were now part of the background. He felt fine when she was around, and just as fine when she wasn't around. He had nothing to hide from her, but he had nothing to tell her, either.

He was…how should I put it?…_indifferent_ to her presence.

He didn't care.

_Right?_

~•~

Her fingers lightly touched the gravestone, skimming softly over the surface where a name was engraved. A lonely tear slid down her cheek, but she quickly wiped it away with the back of her other hand. He never liked to see her cry; he actually made her promise to always have a smile present on her face, using the_ 'you're too pretty to cry, and life is way too short to waste it like that'_ phrase to his advantage.

Of course, she couldn't keep her promise. She had tried – she was still trying, every day, to do so, but, sometimes, things became too much for her to handle. It had been hard, at first; it had been very hard for a long time. Every time a tear slid down her cheek, she expected him to appear out of nowhere and to brush it away; she expected him to come, gather her in his arms, force her to tell him what was wrong, and then give her an advice and tell her to stop crying.

But that never happened.

And, ever since that night, things went downhill for her.

His death, her parents blaming her, the marriage, her husband's cold attitude…

What did she do wrong to deserve all that? Was his death really her fault? Was God punishing her for that?

But she never wanted it to happen – of course she didn't. He meant _everything_ to her; he was the only one who truly cared for her, who truly loved her. And maybe she shouldn't have done that, but she had never thought of the consequences. She had never thought that asking him to go out with her on that cold, December night, would result in him getting killed.

Haruno Seiji had been her best friend for as long as she could remember. He was the overprotective big brother, always taking care of her, always making sure that she was happy, that a smile was present on her face; to him, her feelings and thoughts had always mattered more than his own. He trusted her, loved her, and wanted her to be happy more than he wanted that for himself.

He had been there for her when their parents hadn't – which basically meant always – and succeeded in making her feel better faster than anyone else would. He hated the way their parents treated them – especially Sakura, since, for some unknown reason, they had always acted more loving towards him – and he couldn't wait until they both turned eighteen so that he could move away and take her with him, of course.

There was nothing he wanted more than for him and Sakura to be able to get out of there and live their lives the way they chose to.

She was sixteen when it happened and he was two years older. That night, he had just bought his first car – the first car he had bought with _his own money_. He was such an independent person, and he hated his parents' behavior so much, that he didn't even want their money. Always the supportive one, Sakura had helped in all she could; when he showed up with the car, she displayed more happiness than even him. A ride with his new, shiny toy seemed like the perfect thing at that point.

She was young back then – she liked the adrenaline, the speed. She could still remember the look on his face as he pleased her, pushing the gas pedal to the floor. But the cold December night, the snowflakes falling from the sky and the layer of ice from the highway, combined with the high speed did nothing good to them. The last thing she remembered was calling his name, telling him to watch out, together with a bright light coming from the side of the car. _His side of the car._

She awoke days later, in a hospital room, sore and disorientated; she didn't know why she was there, or what had happened. It all hit her like a ton of bricks when the doctor entered the room and informed her of having been in a car accident. She panicked and instantly asked for her brother, praying to every God she knew that he was okay, that he hadn't been hurt. When she saw the doctor shaking his head, she felt like screaming; she wanted to curl in a ball and let sleep consume her, so that, when she woke up, she could realize that all this had been just a nightmare.

But she wasn't that lucky. It wasn't a nightmare, and he never entered the room, grinning, to tell her that they were just playing with her, that it had been just a joke, like she had later hoped to.

He died that night, and it had all been her fault. If she hadn't asked him to take her for a ride, if she hadn't told him to go faster, if she hadn't been _so stupid_, he would probably still be with her, and none of this would have happened. She had blamed herself for a long time – in a way, she still did. The fact that she had survived the accident and he didn't, was something she would never be able to forget, to push to the back of her mind.

Her parents weren't much better – they never told her, but she could see, by the way they were looking at her every time Seiji came in discussion, that they blamed her, too.

Between her guilty conscience and her parents' obvious feelings towards her, it was a lot to take in, and times when she broke down weren't few. It was only years later that she realized that this was certainly not the way Seiji would have wanted her to act, to feel – he would have wanted her to go on with her life and be happy for the both of them. When that realization sunk into her mind, she began opening up, smiling and even laughing.

There was a moment when she could say that she actually felt that she had finally gotten over it, even though that didn't happen, and it never would. She just felt _good_ – she knew he was guiding her, from wherever he was. And then her father came up with this marriage idea, and everything tumbled down once again.

He would have never allowed them to do something like this to her. If he were still alive, her father's intention to marry her would have gone to hell the moment he thought of it.

Gosh, she missed him so,_ so_ much. Everything reminded her of him, every single little detail made her think of him. When she walked on the street and saw a certain car, she'd immediately think of how much he'd love it; when she turned the TV on and saw a certain thing on the news, she'd think of how he'd react to it. When she heard a certain song, she'd realize it had been his favorite, or she'd remember a certain concert they had been to. It was almost unbelievable, how many memories of him she had, how many things they had done together.

But it was soothing in the same time, because it gave her strength – knowing that they lived their life the way they did was amazing.

Something wet dropped on her cheek and she looked up, knowing perfectly that she hadn't been crying again. The once blue sky was now covered in dark grey clouds – clouds that promised rain, if not a storm. Sighing quietly, she lowered her head and, with one last brush of her fingers over his name, stood up. She smoothed down the wrinkles in her black coat then buried her hands in her pockets, before slowly walking away, the autumn's laves crunching beneath her feet.

A while later she found herself in front of her parents' house, patiently waiting for somebody to answer the door. Initially, she wanted to go home, because she knew her parents wouldn't appreciate her dropping by, but something just…_drew_ her here. She didn't know what that something was, but she didn't pay much attention to it. Thinking over this was unnecessary, not to mention boring, and she had no energy left for trying to find reasons. Besides, it wasn't like she was doing something wrong by coming here. This had been her home for so long, after all.

She was snapped out of her thoughts as the door finally opened, revealing one of the maids that worked there. "Sakura-san!" she greeted, a smile stretching on her face. "What brings you here?" she asked as she stepped aside, letting the pinkette enter.

Sakura smiled back and shrugged, not so sure herself about her reasons for being there. "I guess I just wanted to…_visit_," she replied.

"Oh, do you want me to tell your parents you're here?" she asked.

Sakura remained quiet for a few moments, silently pondering, before shaking her head. "No, it's okay. I'll just…umm, look around and…well, if I see them…then I'll see them," she fumbled with her words, trying not to make her presence seem suspicious. Thankfully, the girl just nodded and, after flashing another quick smile, excused herself and skipped out of the room.

Sighing quietly, the pinkette bit her lip and crossed the living room, stopping at the base of the stairs. Just like before, she felt something, like a slight tug, drawing her upstairs. Slowly, she began climbing the stairs, her fingers brushing softly over the stair railing. It wasn't long until she had finally reached her unknown destination — _his_ room.

_She should have known._

With a sad smile, she turned the doorknob and pushed the door open, not even bothering to close it behind her. Inside, everything was the same as he had left it – a bit messy, though still organized, in a rather original way. Her parents had refused to let anybody change anything, though they did allow the maids to clean up from time to time, for they didn't want dust accumulating all over the room. Her heels made soft noises against the hardwood floor as she slowly crossed the room, her forest-green eyes taking in every detail of her surroundings.

She let her fingers trail softly over a shelf, smiling softly at the memories that came flooding into her mind. She used to be so happy…when did all that change?

She came to a stop and frowned slightly as a certain book stirred something inside her head; she stood on her tiptoes and extended her hand as far as she could, in an effort to reach behind it. It was only a few moments later that she found what she wanted – a small, slightly dusty, white box. Upon opening it, she was immediately taken aback by its contents – tickets to the concert they wanted to go together, the silver chain she gave him for his seventeenth birthday, a sim card he used when he didn't want their parents commenting on the phone bill…

"I can't believe all this is still here…" she whispered as she brought one of her hands up to cover her gaping mouth. It was obvious her parents still didn't know of the existence of these things, for she was sure they'd be long gone by now, probably burned or something. Concerts were something they had never approved of, and finding out that their son wasn't as innocent as they thought was sure to be a big blow to their pride.

"Sakura." She gasped and quickly turned around, not having expected anybody to call her name. His presence should have relaxed her – at least, it should have relaxed any person in her situation, but her relationship with her father had never been very comforting. He was cold and distant – she probably couldn't have formed a bond with him even if he had let her. "What are you doing here?"

"I…" Finding the right words proved to be a challenge, harder than she had thought.

"You know I don't like people entering this room." His words were surprising, shocking even, and they hurt more than they probably should.

"I'm his sister," she whispered disbelievingly, not quite able to grasp the concept of not being allowed in this room, of her presence meaning the same thing as another person's. She was family,_ right_?

Her father only nodded, before straightening his position from where he had been leaning against the doorframe and stepping inside the room. "And I'm his father," he replied simply. "Do you want to name any other family members?"

"Dad," she whispered, shaking her head, before closing the box and pacing it back down on the shelf next to her. She was too tired to deal with this now – actually, she was tired of dealing with this every time she came to visit. All she wanted now was to go home, where, strangely enough, she felt _safe_.

"Concert tickets, huh?" his voice stopped her from leaving the room, and her head immediately snapped up in shock. She had been wrong – they _did_ know about the box. But how come they never said anything about it? "I always knew you were a bad influence for him…" he trailed off, shaking his head.

Hurt and shock mixed into her eyes as she heard that, and she looked up, meeting his gaze. "I…" she paused, swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat. "I was – _am_ – a bad influence for everybody, right?" she asked, her voice shaking slightly.

This time, he didn't answer – he didn't approve, but he didn't deny it, either – and she took it as an opportunity to talk again. "You know," she spoke in a much firmer voice, though still quietly. "Sometimes I wonder why you and mom even wanted me. It's obvious you were more than content with Seiji – he was probably the only one who you used to talk with." She wasn't jealous of her brother – _hell no_; she was just stating some facts. The difference between how their parents treated them was small, very subtle, but she did notice it – they were always more interested in Seiji's life than her own. And it wasn't like that bothered her, but she couldn't help but wonder what she did wrong to deserve this.

Was she an accident, or what? Had they never wanted her? Those questions had been swirling through her mind for a long time when realization finally hit her. "Or you had to save the appearances?" After all, that's what it all resumed at. "Of course, you and mom would have seemed so much better parents if you had two kids."

Her father didn't seem at all affected by her words; either, everything she had said was true and he couldn't argue, or he just found her opinion not important at all and didn't have a reason to argue. "Sakura," he sighed. "I don't understand why you're saying all this now. You have no reason whatsoever to complain of anything," he said. "I've gave you everything – both to you and to your brother."

She gaped at him, her green eyes flooded with shock. "Is _that_ what makes you a good parent?" she asked incredulously. "Do you _really_ think that material stuff is _all_ that matters?"

"I don't think anything," he raised his voice, already annoyed by her rebel behavior. "All I know is that I've gave you everything that could have made you happy. If that didn't happen, then I'm sorry – there's nothing else I could have done." It was amazing, really, the way he was thinking – it all seemed so easy, so simple. And it frustrated her; for the first time in years – actually, probably for the first time _ever_ – she felt anger towards her father and, along with that, she felt that she was finally brave enough to tell him everything she wanted to.

"Happy? Dad, a kid needs_ love_ to be happy," she answered. "He needs to feel _secure_, _safe_; he needs parents, _not_ money!" He opened his mouth to argue, but she cut him off, knowing exactly what he was about to say. "And if you think that all this is in the past, then fine, let's leave it there! But what about the present, dad?" she asked, but didn't wait for an answer. "How could you ever think that forcing me to marry a guy I didn't even know would make me happy? I bet you didn't even think of it! You only thought about your stupid business!"

"Sakura, don't try to act like a victim, when you truly aren't one. Sacrifices have to be done from time to time – _get over it_."

"Get over it?!" she echoed disbelievingly. "You ruined my life and you're telling me to simply _get over it_?" He rolled his eyes at her words and sighed, shifting his weight to his other leg. "You know what I think?" This time, her voice was softer, quieter – kind of like the calm before the storm. With a grunt, he let her know he was listening, though he knew she would have continued either way. "I think that this whole 'it's the best for our family thing_'_ has been just a façade. I think – I _know_," she corrected, "that you did this as some kind of revenge," she spoke bitterly. "You think I'm guilty for Seiji's accident. And, you know what? Maybe I am, but the fault is not entirely mine."

By brining Seiji and that night up to discussion, she could see she had captured his attention.

"Do you know why we went out that night?" she asked, not really expecting an answer. Neither he, nor her mother, knew what _truly _happened that night – they knew the basics, but not the details. For example, they had no idea why Sakura and Seiji were on the highway that night. "Do you know whose car was that?" At his confused, yet curious look, she shook her head. "You don't," she concluded. "And you dare call yourself a parent, when you weren't even interested enough in finding out why your son died," her voice cracked at the end and tears stung her eyes, but she refused to break down – it was time her parents learned of all this; it was time they were given a lesson.

It was time she stood up for both her and her brother, like he had done so many times in the past.

"It was Seiji's," she said. "Seiji's car – the first car he bought with _his own money_," she stressed out the last words to make sure he understood, before continuing, "You have no idea how much he hated you two for acting the way you did." Maybe_ hate_ was a too harsh word, because she knew Seiji didn't actually hate them – they were, after all, his parents; they gave him life and he acknowledged and was grateful for that – but she couldn't find any other word that would express his feelings – she was sure that, if he were still alive, he couldn't find one, either.

"He didn't even want your money. All he wanted was for me to turn eighteen so that we could move out of this goddamned house." A tear fell on her cheek at the mention of their so-called plans and she closed her eyes for a brief second in an effort to get rid of the burning sensation, before reopening them. "He died because of _you_!" she accused, her voice shaking. "If you had taken a little more of your precious time, to spend with us, then everything would have been perfect! He would have never wanted to go away, he would have never bought that car, and I certainly would have never gotten the chance to tell him to take me for a ride! If you had at least _tried_ to be a parent for once, he would still be here, with _me_!"

It all happened so fast, she didn't even see it coming. One minute she was shouting, glaring at him, and the next she was slumped on the bed, holding her hand to her now stinging cheek.

It took her a while to process that he had actually slapped her.

* * *

_**A/N:** Before you say anything – word count: about 5.951_

_Dudes, you can't tell me there's been no action in this; and if you still can, then fine, but this couldn't get any longer._

_Besides, you know me – I'm a person that likes details, and there were things that you needed to know. Sorry if it had been boring but, as usual, I promise it will be worth the wait._

_Sasuke's perspective about all this turned out longer than I had initially planned but, when I tried to go back and cut some parts, I realized that there was everything that needed to be said – and I don't want you guys to be confused, especially not over Sasuke's thoughts and feelings, since he's already pretty fucked up – pardon my way of talking – in that domain._

_Anyway, in the first chapter, there has been something among the lines of: "There was only one person that had truly loved her. But he was long gone, leaving her completely alone." Remember? Well, that person was Seiji, her brother. At first, I intended to keep it a secret and to reveal it only when she told Sasuke about it – because she will, sometime in the future – but then I changed my mind, deciding that this would turn out better if you guys already knew._

_Hmm, and yeah, I know that I've used "Seiji" in my other stories, as well, but I don't wanna look for names every time I start a new one. In "Meet The Parents" I already have the names of Sakura's parents and her brother, so I'll just stick with those. I hope that doesn't bother you, though I don't see why it would. Oh, well._

_Warning: Major SasuSaku ahead. They won't get together just yet, but…heh, you'll see._

_And now…how about you leave me a review to motivate me?_


	3. An Old Friend

_**A/N:** I couldn't resist this – I needed to post it. I already had like…the first half written, thanks to the last chapter, which turned out to be gigantic and that I had to cut. This chapter is a tiny little bit – eh, who am I kidding? It's a lot shorter than the last one. Yes, that is a warning – and don't expect such long chapters in the future. I'm not telling you that it'll never happen again, because one can never know, and I'm not telling you to stop hoping. All I'm telling you is not to expect anything – I'm unpredictable._

_My other stories, like, for example: _Changes_,_ All For Love _and_ Nothing In This World _will probably be updated soon enough, for I already have some parts of the following chapters written. That's me right now – 5 minutes writing for a story, 5 minutes for another. It depends on how often my mood changes._

_Anyway, I should leave you alone. Enjoy!_

* * *

_**Incomplete**  
By The Terrorist_

_**Chapter three**  
An Old Friend_

* * *

_"He died because of you!" she accused, her voice shaking. "If you had taken a little more of your precious time, to spend with us, then everything would have been perfect! He would have never wanted to go away, he would have never bought that car, and I certainly would have never gotten the chance to tell him to take me for a ride! If you had at least tried to be a parent for once, he would still be here, with me!"_

_It all happened so fast, she didn't even see it coming. One minute she was shouting, glaring at him, and the next she was slumped on the bed, holding her hand to her now stinging cheek._

_It took her a while to process that he had actually slapped her._

To say that she was shocked would be an understatement; words didn't even begin to explain what she was feeling at the point – there was shock, hurt, confusion. Her father had never hurt her physically – hell, he had never even yelled at her. He spent so little time around the two of them, that times when he actually found out about something that made him angry were few; when that happened, however, Seiji was always there, always taking the blame upon himself and, therefore, he always ended up as the one yelled at.

She looked up at him through the pink locks that had fallen into her eyes, her features displaying all her emotions. "I can't believe you hit me," she spoke quietly, still in shock. The sheets rustled slightly as she slowly pushed herself into a sitting position, before standing up completely, her hand still touching her cheek.

"You didn't actually believe I'd let you say all those things without doing anything, right?" His voice was cold and detached – he didn't seem affected at all by his earlier action. But then again, she hadn't really expected him to; he had never cared for her well-being, so why should he care about hurting her? "Where did your manners go, Sakura?" As those words were out of his mouth, she quickly understood that it wasn't the fact that she had told him that he was guilty of her brother's death that had angered him, but her behavior.

And it was understandable, to some extent. After all, she had never acted that way – at least not in front of them. For all her parents knew, she was shy and rather quiet, never daring to voice her thoughts and opinions. But, in reality, she wasn't like that…or, well, at least she _used to be_ different. Right now…right now she had doubts regarding her true personality and all that. She hadn't been truly happy or content for such a long time now, that she couldn't even remember how it felt like – how could she know what her true self was?

"I thought I had taught you better than rebelling against me like that," he spoke again, capturing her attention.

Instantly, anger shot through her veins again, and his earlier action vanished from her mind; he could hit her all he wanted, but that wouldn't stop her from telling him all she wanted to, all she _needed_ to. "_You_?" she asked, a short, sarcastic laugh escaping her lips. "You taught me _nothing_. Both me and Seiji have been raised by the maids, dad. Remember? You never did _anything_ for us, you never taught us _anything_!" she hissed, glaring at him.

"You were always so clingy." His words seemed to have no connection with what she was talking about, but she knew better than to believe that. If he was telling her that, then it was because he had a point. "I could see all you wanted was to be close to us, even though you never said it." She was actually quite surprised that he had even noticed that, but it only made her more confused. If he did notice, then why didn't he do anything about it? Did he enjoy watching her suffer, or what? "You were _so_ annoying." No, he simply didn't care.

Those words cut through her like a knife; her breath caught in her throat, and her vision was instantly blurred by tears. She had always known her parents didn't love her, but finding out that they _hated_ her was another, more painful thing. "You're unbelievable," she whispered, her voice shaking slightly. "I never thought…" she paused, shaking her head, "…I never thought you were like this, dad." Truth to be told, she had always thought that, underneath that cold façade, there was something else, something_ more_. Obviously, that had been only her child-like imagination.

Her eyes burned with unshed tears, but she refused to let them fall, she refused to look weak in front of him again.

Because she knew, if it were anybody's fault for what she was feeling right now, it was hers. After all, she had been the one who kept hoping for more, she had been the one who kept thinking that maybe,_ just maybe_, one day, her parents would get to love her. She had thought that, if she became what they wanted her to, if she obeyed everything they told her to, they would appreciate it and start to care more for her. That's why she accepted marrying Sasuke – because she thought her father would finally…see her.

Stupid, right?

Yes, it really was stupid. Too bad she only realized it now.

Shaking her head again, she quickly walked past him and ran out of the room, not wanting to see him, hear him, or be close to him again. The mansion felt cold, yet suffocating, nothing like it used to be when she was smaller. For a moment, it occurred to her that it would have been a lot better if she hadn't known anything, if she kept thinking that her parents actually _cared_, but the thought was quickly dismissed. It was better this way – truth hurts, yes, but it's better to know it, rather than stay in the dark and live a lie.

Outside, rain was pouring down in sheets, but she ignored it, as her need to get out of there was bigger than anything else. Her hair and clothes were soaked in only a few seconds, her tears now mixing with the rain; she had left her coat in the car, so the only thing that was covering her now was the thin – and now wet – material of her shirt. She shivered and wrapped her arms around her in an effort to gather some warmth, as her pace quickened considerably.

At that point, all she wanted was to go home. She wanted to get inside her car and drive all the way to that huge mansion she shared with her husband, _with that stranger_. She had never been happy there, but she knew that it meant safety, that it meant security. She knew that the bed sheets were warm and comfortable, she knew that she could curl up in a ball and cry herself to sleep without having to give explanations to anybody.

She needed that, and the fact that she could have it made her feel, surprisingly, a little bit better.

As she walked, she kept her eyes set on the ground, not having the necessary strength – _or will_ – to pay attention to her surroundings. She didn't even notice the person coming her way – she never thought that anybody would be out on this weather, anyway – so it wasn't a surprise when she collided with him. She gasped and stumbled back, the impact being a little to strong for her small body to keep its equilibrium; however, a pair of hands grasped her upper arms before she could fall to the ground, gently steadying her.

A few wet, pink locks had fallen into her face when she stumbled, so she reached out and brush them away. "Sorry," she apologized, shaking her head slightly, still not looking up. "I wasn't paying attention."

"Nah, it's okay," a strangely familiar, husky voice answered. "I wasn't exactly looking ahead, eith—_Sakura_?!" Gasping, she looked up at the sound of her name, not knowing how a stranger could possibly know it. However, it wasn't the face of a stranger that met her, but the very familiar face of her childhood best friend. He had changed – he looked more mature, more…_serious_, if that was possible, but that didn't stop her from recognizing him. His golden hair was now wet, but still unruly, still sticking out at every possible angle, just like it did back when they were younger; his baby blue eyes started back at her, something akin to happiness shining in them.

"Naruto…?" she asked hesitantly, although she was quite sure it was him.

"Sakura!" he exclaimed and his arms instantly came to wrap around her, pulling her into a tight, big bear hug. "I haven't seen ya in ages!" She wasted no second in hugging him back, relishing in the warmth and comfort he unconsciously offered her.

She was thirteen when she first met Naruto; that summer day, she was sad over something her parents had done, though she now couldn't remember what that something was, and decided to go for a walk in hopes to calm down. Seiji was out with his friends and she couldn't simply call him and tell him that she needed him, for he was reluctant to leave her alone in the first place, and she was well aware that he couldn't baby-sit her 24/7. She wandered aimlessly around for a while, never daring to go too far, for her surroundings were something she had yet to get used to back then.

Lost in her thoughts, she failed to notice just how much time had passed since she left home and how grey, heavy-looking clouds began covering the once blue sky. When it started raining, she panicked and concentrated solely on getting home as soon as possible, not paying her surroundings one bit of her attention. You can easily realize that, back then, too, she bumped into him.

Ever since then, ever since he cared enough to ask her about her saddened emerald orbs, ever since he tried his best to comfort her when she was basically a stranger to him, ever since she told him everything that had happened, from the beginning to the end, not sparing him any details…ever since then, they remained best friends. Obviously, Seiji liked him from the moment Sakura told him what he had done, so the three of them were often inseparable.

Naruto's parents owned a house nearby, but couldn't move due to his father's job, so the only time they came here was during summer vacation. Although it used to be a little annoying, not having him there throughout the whole year, it never truly upset her – she just tried to enjoy the little time she had with him to the maximum. It used to be great, having both him and her brother around – she felt safer, happier, a lot more loved…heh, the two of them were all she needed.

Until they left her both.

First, there was Naruto, and, shortly after, Seiji followed.

For some unknown reason, his parents decided to sell this house, so Naruto was forced to leave and, obviously, not come back the next summer. They had promised to keep in touch, and they had done so, up until a point. He stopped calling right before Seiji's accident happened – the accident that made her lose interest in everything else. Years later, when she could finally say that she recovered, that she was better, she tried calling him again, but then had the surprise to find out that he had changed his number.

"What are you doing here?" she asked as they pulled back, a small smile present on her face. No matter everything that had happened, no matter how much they both had changed, Naruto was, and would always remain her best friend – it was like some kind of unwritten rule.

"Well, that's a long story," he laughed. "I don't think it has to be told here, of all the places," he said, looking around. "But what happened to you?" he asked. "You look sad," he pointed out a few moments later, his voice worried, concerned. It warmed her heart, knowing that there was somebody in this world that actually cared for her. "Where's Seiji?" At the sound of his name, she wasn't able to contain her tears; she burst out crying and leaned into him, wrapping her arms around him.

She could basically feel his confusion as he hesitantly returned her embrace; she could feel how hard he was trying to make her calm down, to soothe her as his arms tightened around her, as he ran a hand over her back. She didn't feel better – there was nothing that could make her feel better when Seiji came in discussion – but the simple fact that he was there, that he was trying…it meant _so_ much to her, that there weren't even words to describe it.

"So many things have happened…" she murmured a few moments later, her voice soft and shaking. He could see, by the way she talked, by the way she clung to him, that she didn't want to talk about it. Obviously, for some unknown reason, it hurt her, it made her cry. And that was the last thing he wanted – he had always hated seeing her cry, and years of being away from her didn't change that. "I can't talk about this right now," she admitted right when he prepared himself to tell her that she didn't need to do so; she pulled away from his embrace and shook her head, her hands quickly coming up to wipe her tears away. "I'm sorry…I just…I just _can't_. It's too much for one day."

"Hey, it's okay." His voice was soft and soothing, and it worked like magic on her; a feeling of déjà vu washed over her, the realization bringing a smile to her face. It was just like that day – she was sad and crying, when he appeared and made her feel better by just speaking to her; the hope that things would get better afterwards – just like it happened back then – built up in her chest before she could crush it and tell herself to stop being foolish, to stop acting and thinking like a child. "You don't have to tell me _now_ – I'm not going anywhere," he said, as if knowing how much she needed that reassurance. "We'll _really_ keep in touch this time." He paused for a moment, before continuing, "Are you going home?"

"That's all I want to do right now," she nodded, then shivered as a wave of cold hit her.

Now 22, as his math told him, he realized that she probably didn't live with her parents anymore, since both she and Seiji had plans to move the moment she turned eighteen. He had no idea what she was doing here, or why she burst into tears at the mention of her brother, or why, even when she smiled, there was no happiness in her eyes, or why those green orbs didn't sparkle as they used to, or why…well, he didn't know a lot of things, but he wouldn't pressure her into answering him.

She looked so small and fragile right now, so sad, so exhausted…the sight of her like this broke his heart. What could have happened to her? What could have happened that made this girl – who always used to see something good in each and every tragedy or disaster – like this?

At that point, answering that was beyond him and, although he wanted information more than anything, he decided to leave it like that for the time being. She was not in the right state to have such a conversation – because he knew, one way or another, that what he was going to find out, was not anything good. He just had that feeling – he had a feeling that, somehow, somebody managed to ruin her life.

"Here." His voice captured her attention again. "Take this," he said as he took off his coat and quickly wrapped it around her; she protested, telling him that her car was close by, but he ignored her, just like he used to do when she refused to understand what was good for her. He then accompanied her to her car, stopping for a moment to make a few comments on how well she had done in picking it, and, in the process, brought a small smile to her face.

It was only when she got inside her car, with him already gone, that she allowed herself to break down.

~•~

Between her tears and the storm, it took her a while to get home. Her head hurt when she entered the house, what she thought to be a result to all the crying she did in the past few hours. She always used to feel a little better after crying, and she could only guess – _and hope_ – that that would happen after a few good hours of sleep. She felt cold and exhausted, both physhically and emotionally; all she wanted was to get under the warm covers of her bed and let sleep overcome her.

She never thought someone would deny her that, too.

"And where has Mrs. Uchiha been all day long?" The familiar, sarcastic voice of her husband met her as soon as she stepped into the foyer, but it took her a while to tell where it was coming from. She felt really disorientated, as if there was mist all around her; she didn't have the time, or patience, to deal with him.

On the other hand, Sasuke did. With nothing more to do at work, he came home earlier than usual, knowing that he had a higher chance of finding something that would entertain him here, than at his office. Really, he wasn't a person that liked having fun – what did that even mean? – or a person that enjoyed laughing or _whatever_, but, sometimes, people at work were just too_ boring_ for him. With nothing on television and him tired of internet, teasing his wife seemed like the perfect thing to do at that point.

He knew it annoyed her when he called her that, which is why he did so pretty often, so he was actually surprised when all she did was throw him a simple glance. Now that he thought about it, her absence was rather strange, too; he could tell she had not been shopping, for she didn't have any bags with her. Her car was the same as the week before. She never visited her parents, she had no friends she could go out with. So, _where the hell had she been_?

"What do you care?" Her voice was just a murmur, soft and shaking. When arguing – or even _talking_ – with him, it was never that way. She seemed so protective of herself whenever he was around, as if she was scared of him hurting her any moment; she aways had her defenses up high, always ready to backfire.

_But not this time._

Something was wrong. He could feel it, but he couldn't bring himself to care about it, he couldn't bring himself to get involved into her personal issues. He had asked her about it, but it wasn't because he _cared_ – it was because he had nothing better to do. She could do all she wanted with her life – she didn't belong to him in any way. Sasuke had always believed that he didn't need her to belong to him, in the first place.

Until he saw the coat she was wrapped up into.

Jealously, combined with anger, instantly pulsed through his veins, clouding his mind, his judgment; he had never felt something like that before, but he wasn't stupid – he knew what he was feeling. He also knew it was unusual, out of character and downright_ annoying_, for he had no control over her life, her actions; he was being a hypocrite, not agreeing with her having somebody else when he had had numerous women since they got married.

"What is this?" He was in front of her in less than a second, grabbing her arm and yanking her towards him. She gasped and stumbled forward with the force of his action; never in a million years, did she think that he'd react like that to something that she had done. He was always so uncaring towards her, that she would have never thought that he even _noticed_ her, that he even acknowledged her as a human being, and not as some kind of…plant, animal, or even a simple object.

His grip on her arm was painfully tight, and, no matter how much she tried not to mention it, in the end, she couldn't resist it. "Sasuke, you're hurting me…" She hated how weak her voice sounded and she hated that he had heard it, but, as his next words held no recognition that she had spoken, she realized that he might not have even cared enough to notice it.

"Whose coat is this?" Having her dating another mad being his back was one thing. Having her showing it so openly was another. "Listen, Sakura, and listen good," he growled, his black eyes piercing through her green ones. "I _don't care_ how many men you have behind my back." He didn't know why he felt as if he were lying. "But I don't want _everybody_ to find out."

He was the second person today whose words hurt her more than she ever thought possible; she thought about replying, about yelling at him and shoving him away, but she couldn't find the strength to do so. She felt herself going weaker by the second – she felt as if she couldn't even stand up on her own anymore, everything around her soon became a blur. The last thing she remembered before collapsing into his arms was him calling her name.

Darkness surrounded her far too quickly for her to notice the desperate hint his voice held.

* * *

_**A/N:** I told you it's shorter. I wasn't kidding._

_And it was supposed to contain a lot of other things – some serious SasuSaku included – but I thought that cutting it there would be the best. I'd give you a quick update in thanks for all the wonderful reviews I've gotten from you guys (You Rock! Thank Youuuu!) and you'd be able to understand…well, a little more from…err, the mystery this story has? Nah, no mystery, just a few necessary, confusing things._

_Another cliff-hanger. I know. Patience, patience. It will be worth it. It really will. And I'm telling you this because, of course, I know it will._

_Um, and yeah, Sasuke slept with other women before. It never meant anything for him, but he did. I know it probably annoys some of you but, trust me, I don't like it that much, either. It was necessary, though – necessary for my plot to work right the way I want it to._

_I actually plan on concentrating more on this story – you guys seem to like it, and I like it, too. I have a lot of ideas, a lot of things planned for this, and I can't wait to write them. Considering all this, I suppose I could update this faster than my other stories._

_I _suppose_. I can't promise a thing._

_Now…review? Please, please, please, please! :)_


	4. Unexpected Source Of Comfort

_A/N: Finally! This has taken me so long!_

_I just felt like I needed to add some things, then to delete some things, then to rewrite some things, then to…well, I'm sure you get the idea. As usual, it had been pretty annoying – I'm glad it's over. I'm not so sure when the next chapter will be out, but I hope I'll be able – by that I mean 'have time' – to write it soon._

_Anyway, enjoy!_

_

* * *

_

_**Incomplete**  
By The Terrorist_

_**Chapter four**  
Unexpected Source Of Comfort  
_

* * *

He knew something was wrong from the moment she averted her eyes from his and hesitated in replying – she never did so; arguments were something that seemed to come to her immediately, as if she had been thinking about her next words for a long time, and those green eyes always glared at him in these situations, always pierced right through him. But even so, nothing prepared him for this.

He saw her raise her hand to rub her forehead, the movement slow and weak, as if her arm weighted much more than it should; she swayed slightly on her feet, and he resisted the urge to reach out and stabilize her, to force her to look at him and ask her what was wrong. He fought back the wave of concern that hit him for as long as he could, trying to tell himself that it was stupid, that she was just fine, and that he shouldn't care in the first place. However, as soon as she collapsed into his arms, that became an impossible task for him.

He called her name in an almost desperate manner and, even though that was way out of character for him, he didn't have time to think about it, or to even pay that thought enough attention for it to linger into his mind for more than two seconds. _He panicked_ – there was no denying it. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion; it was like the most horrible movie scene playing right in front of his eyes: she, unconscious, weak, vulnerable.

"Sakura!" he called as he lowered himself to his knees, still holding her tight against him. He shook her slightly and called her name again, hoping with all his might that she'd open her eyes, that she'd yell at him for being so close to her, that she'd stand up and throw him one of her death-glares, that she'd do _anything_ that would show him that she was fine. For a moment, he wished this was a dream, a nightmare, but reality came crashing down on him before he had a chance to start praying for him to wake up from it.

_This was really happening_. She was here, in his arms, unconscious, and he was here, holding her, not knowing what to do, but aware that he needed to do something. He couldn't just say that he didn't care – this was serious, he couldn't play games. She_ needed him_ right now – she needed to feel safe, secure, protected; she needed him to care for her, to tend to her, to make sure she was perfectly fine. She needed _him_, period.

Why was it that he knew all that? And why was it that he suddenly felt more than ready to give her everything he had and even more?

He didn't know the answer to that question and he probably never would.

Her body was much smaller and frailer than he would have ever thought – he felt as if any movement, no matter how small and tender, would hurt her, break her. Underneath that coat that made him react so badly, her clothes were soaked, clinging to her body like second skin; her hands were cold, her face was pale, her pink locks were wet.

She didn't look good – he didn't like it.

It was obvious that she had been walking through the rain. Now, the question was,_ why_? She had a car and he knew she liked to use it – he had never noticed her leaving the house without her car-keys. Whenever she was gone, so was her car.

And maybe she had wanted to take a walk, but why in the rain? Hadn't she noticed the dark clouds gathering into the sky? Hadn't she…hadn't she_ cared_? All kind of questions were running through his mind at a dazzling speed, confusing him, making him almost desperate for answers, but they all seemed to quiet down as soon as his eyes fell on her small figure again. He didn't have time for this.

_His main concern was her._

~•~

When she came to, she couldn't exactly put together everything that had happened. Her mind was fuzzy, there were missing parts from her memory, and her head hurt like hell, worse than she remembered. Her eyes felt way too heavy for her to even try to open them, and her body felt like it wasn't in her control anymore. She didn't know where she was, or how she got there – with every thought, her head seemed to throb even more, and, soon enough, she gave up trying to find answers.

But she wasn't cold, or feeling awful anymore. In fact, she felt comfortable, at ease. She was lying on something soft and comfy; her body was covered with some kind of material that she knew very well, but couldn't put her finger on it; in any case, it was soft and cool, yet so warm. It felt wonderful – somehow, it soothed her.

There was something about this place she was in that gave her a sense of security, of safety. For some reason or another, she felt as if nothing could go wrong here – she felt as nothing could reach her, much less hurt her. And she liked it so damn much, that she could only hope to never leave this – whatever this was.

As she slowly regained consciousness, she realized that she wasn't alone in this place. There were voices around her, people talking about something she wasn't quite able to hear. She only caught bits and pieces of their conversation, not enough for her to understand what was going on, but more than enough to stir her curiosity.

"…she…okay…?"

"She…wife is…it's only…cold…proper rest…medication…be…"

A few more words were exchanged between the two persons, words that she couldn't make out, no matter how hard she strained to hear them. She heard footsteps, and then nothing – silence enveloped her in a way that made her question whether she was alone, or had fallen asleep once again. It was only a while later – and she had no idea how long that meant – that she became aware of her surroundings again.

Her ears picked up the same soft click, followed by quiet footsteps and, thankfully, this time she found the power to open her eyes. She was disorientated, at first, for she didn't recognize her surroundings, but, as soon as her eyes fell on him, everything came crashing down on her. She remembered the fight with her father, the way she had run out of the house, the way she had collided with Naruto. She remembered how he had managed, once again, to make her feel better; she remembered how she had climbed into her car and driven home.

She remembered how Sasuke had yelled at her. And then everything went black.

Looking around, she tried her hardest to find something familiar, something that would make her realize where she was, but, soon after, she gave up. Her eyes fell back on him, and she opened her mouth to speak, knowing that, if there was somebody who could answer all her questions, that person was him. "Where am I?" Her voice was hoarse and weak, as if she had slept for a week and hadn't eaten a thing in the meantime.

The answer came immediately, though it was definitely the unexpected one. "In my room," he spoke calmly, his voice void of any emotion.

_'What?'_ she thought, frowning,_ 'What the hell am I doing in his room?'_. Definitely, she had no idea how she got, or what she was doing there, for that matter, but, now that she thought about it – and now that she knew it – if she had concentrated hard enough, she could have probably realized whose room was this. It was exactly she had imagined it: dark, simple yet sophisticated, tidy, and…so much like him.

A part of her loved the floor to ceiling windows more than anything else. Another part of her, however, loved the bad – large and comfortable, with dark blue satin sheets that brushed against the softness of her skin every time she moved a bi—wait a minute. _Softness of her skin?_ Surely, she remembered having clothes on her.

Gasping, she shot into a sitting position, her hands immediately clutching the sheets to her almost naked chest. "What did you do to me, you pervert?!" she shouted, suddenly feeling more than ready to kick his ass. However, in less than a second, she could already feel the effects of her sudden movement and the tone she had spoken into – her vision blurred, her head began throbbing again, and it took a lot of her willpower to simply sit upright.

Although he found her reaction quite amusing – and there was no denying it, no matter what – Sasuke's mind seemed to concentrate more on her well-being than on anything else. "Easy," he murmured as he quickly walked forward and took a seat on the bed, his hands immediately reached out and grabbing her forearms to stabilize her. "You fainted," he explained, "and your clothes were wet – I had to get them off." His voice was quiet and soft, sounding as if he was reassuring her that he hadn't done a thing to her.

Obviously, she knew he hadn't. Her reaction had been just…a result of her sleepy mind, probably.

With a sigh, she closed her eyes and leaned against the headboard, her brain working to put together all this. He had taken care of her – of all the people that could have possibly done that, it was him who did it. No one – and, when I say _no one_, I really mean _absolutely no one_ – had ever taken care of her in such a manner. Sure, there had been her brother, who had always cared for her when she was sick or simply not feeling well, but this was different.

She was happy back then; now, however, she felt more emotionally exhausted than anything. Back then she knew that she had some people who cared about her, who loved her; now, she wasn't so sure, that being one of the things that led up to this. Her father hated her, her mother most definitely didn't care about her the slightest bit, she had no friends – that, if you excluded Naruto – and her husband probably didn't even know she existed.

Or so she had thought. There's no need to tell you that she hadn't expected him to do this. Now that she thought about it, if she had known that this would happen, she would have expected him to take her to a hospital, or to call one of the maids or something; she would have never expected him to take care of her himself_._

But he was the one who carried her upstairs, he was the one who paid attention to such a – _seemingly_ – insignificant detail, like her wet clothes, he was the one who took them off, he was the one who called the doctor – because she had realized who that second voice belonged to – and he was the one who was here now.

_He was here now_.

And to think he did all that after he had yelled at her, after he had made it very clear – _once again_ – that he didn't care about her. How was that even possible? Why would he do all this, if he truly didn't care?

_'Because you're his wife,'_ a part of her reminded her. _'Imagine how it would have looked if he had left you to get sick'_. Most probably, that rational part of her was right: what other reason he could have had? None, she believed. It wasn't like something had ever mattered more to him than his image, his work, his company. As far as he was concerned, the rest of it could go to hell. Everything else, including herself.

But that's beside the point. She had learned, a long time ago, to stop thinking about this kind of things, to stop trying to find a reason, an explanation for everything he did. She couldn't understand, it only managed, one way or another, to hurt her more, and, most certainly, it wasn't her business. This time, the point was, he had taken care of her – his reasons didn't matter.

"Thank you," she whispered, opening her eyes and gazing at him.

"Are you okay?" he asked as his only reply, not liking all the things that he saw in her eyes. Pain, sadness, confusion, exhaustion…it was all too much, even for him. Sasuke was so used to seeing her annoyed, angered and, most of the time, cold and uncaring, that it seemed so strange to him to see her…like this.

And it wasn't a good kind of strange; no, certainly, it wasn't. For some reason, it terrified him; it made him want to do something about it, it made him want to crush her to his chest and wipe those emotions from her eyes. It made him want, for the first time ever, to make her happy.

_Make her happy._ What did that even mean? He didn't know. All he knew was that, although it was the weirdest thing ever, so out of character and so, _so_ annoying, he couldn't bring himself to care about it, he couldn't bring himself to pay the matter enough attention, to examine it. No, he simply wanted to pay attention _to her_, to make sure she was okay, to make her realize that she was cared for; the rest could wait. His cold façade, his everyday attitude, his normal behavior –_ everything _else could wait, _would_ wait.

The pinkette was, once again, surprised by his words, and she looked at him strangely, not knowing how this question could mix with his personality, or how to answer it. For a moment, it occured to her that she was dreaming, because this person that was standing in front of her could not be her husband. Definitely, it could not, she decided, shaking her head. However, his words caught her attention before she could pinch her arm in hopes to wake up.

"What happened to you?" She didn't realize immediately what he was talking about; it was only when she felt his hand brush tenderly against her – probably bruised, by now – cheek, that she realized what he meant.

And, as much as she would have liked to be able to say that nothing had happened, that it wasn't his problem and that he shouldn't care, in the first place, she soon found out that that was simply impossible. Her memories hit her like a ton of bricks, making it almost impossible for her to keep her tears at bay.

"My father…" she whispered, her voice soft and shaking.

Sasuke's eyes darkened. "Satoru?" he asked disbelievingly. _'What kind of father would do something like that?'_ A strange feeling curled up in the pit of his stomach, one that he had never felt before, but one that he was quickly able to recognize, nonetheless:_ protectiveness_. Why Satoru had hit her was beyond him, but his reasons didn't matter as much as his action – who the hell did he think he was, what right did he think he had for doing what he did? It didn't matter that he was her father – no one, absolutely _no one_, had the right to touch her, to hurt her.

But before he could ask for more details, she burst into tears, unable to contain them anymore; this was too overwhelming, too much for her to handle. "I'm sick of it…!" she whispered as she buried her face into her hands, missing the way her body unconsciously leaned towards him. "I'm sick and tired of everything…"

He didn't know what to do – he really didn't. No one had ever broken down in front of him like this, much less Sakura; the pinkette had always seemed so strong, like nothing could ever affect her, like nothing could make her care enough. And maybe she was that way only when he was around, but it didn't really matter – that was the only her he had gotten to know. Needless to say, he had never thought he'd found himself in a situation like this.

But his body seemed to know exactly what his brain didn't, and his arms acted almost on their own accord as they slowly, hesitantly, wrapped around her small frame, pulling her to him.

She gasped through her tears, not having expected him to do that, but didn't say a thing – her need of comfort, of protection was so much bigger than anything else, and she decided that, just for a moment, she could let her guard down around him. Her hands fisted in his shirt and she pushed herself even closer to him, burying her face in the crook of his neck.

Wrapped up in his arms, she seemed much smaller and frailer than before, and the urge to protect her grew, making his embrace tighten. Slowly, he ran a hand up and down her bare back, and planted soft kisses in her hair, trying to soothe her, to make her calm down. Words weren't needed – he knew that and, by the way she was clinging to him, it seemed like he was right.

He hated seeing her cry, he realized. It was as if he was feeling her pain, as if…whatever happened had the same effect on him, like it had on her. It left her so vulnerable, it made her drop her guard in front of him. And he didn't like that – in a way, he knew he didn't deserve it. After all, all he ever did was hurt her – he had always treated her with the same interest one would treat a stray dog. He had never asked her what was wrong when she seemed sad, he had never told her a thing that hadn't been hurtful, he had never even bothered with saying _'hi'_.

In other words, he had been the worst husband that probably existed. And, while many people could blame that on his father – because he had been the one that arranged this marriage – Sasuke knew he couldn't. Because she had tried to make it work. She didn't want the marriage, either – it was obvious that it had destroyed every plan she might have had – but she, unlike him, had tried to make it right, to get the best out of it.

But Sasuke didn't even pay attention to her struggles, and, when he did, his words only served to hurt her – in the end, it was his words that made her give up, that made her act the way she did now. You all might be wondering why exactly he turned her down. Well, even now, he had no idea why – he had never had a reason, in the first place. She was beautiful and smart and kind and so, _so_ different from him, and yet, possibly everything he could ever want in a woman. And it was so frustrating that he had met her under these circumstances, that their relationship had started the way it did. It was so frustrating that he had acted the way he had, that he had hurt her to that level.

But, most of all – and all of a sudden – it was frustrating that his thoughts and feelings didn't make sense anymore. Since when did he begin to think like that? Since when did he regret things? Since when did he admit being an ass to her? _'This isn't right,' _he told himself.

Being in such proximity with her was probably messing up everything. But, just as he started to pull away, she whimpered and pushed herself closer to him. "Don't go." Her whisper was all it took to break his resolve. "Please…"

She knew it was wrong. She knew it was so, _so_ wrong. She knew she'd regret it. But she couldn't bring herself to care about it. At that point, her mind, her body, her heart, her_ everything_ wanted nothing more than the protection and the comfort he offered her by simply holding her in his arms. In a way, those few minutes were worth the pain she'd surely feel afterwards – were worth even more than that.

Sasuke could have sworn he had never had so many conflicted emotions before – in fact, he doubted he had ever felt something like that. A part of him wanted him to leave and kept repeating over and over again that she was confusing him, that she was messing up everything, and that she was most definitely not worth it – not worth sacrificing the façade he had, not worth being so confused, not worth _anything_. Another part of him – a part that was slowly winning over – told him to stay with her, to comfort her, to protect her, to make sure she was okay. It told him not to leave her like this – it told him to do, for once, as she asked him.

Somehow, it was no surprise when that part won. Because not even him could have left her alone in this situation – or maybe it was just _him_ who simply…_couldn't_.

From that moment on, Sasuke didn't think. He just acted.

With a sigh, he shifted a bit so that he was lying down on the bed, never letting her go in the process; her reaction was immediate – her body curled around him, her face buried in the crook of his neck, while one of her arms came to wrap around his waist.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked her, his lips brushing against her forehead, in an effort to ease the confusion he felt. Something in the back of his mind told him that it was because he hoped that she'd feel better if she told him what happened; it also made him aware of the fact that, right now, he was very well capable of going there and punching the living daylights out of Satoru, even though he didn't even know what had happened. He did ignore the first, but not the latter.

Her only response was a slight shake of her head, indicating that he wouldn't get answers – not from her, not so quickly. And, now that he thought about it, it was pretty normal that she didn't want to tell him what had happened – whatever that was, it was obvious that it hurt her to even think about it. Talking would take it to a whole new level.

And, although he knew it wasn't quite right in this situation, Sasuke couldn't help – for some reason or another – but feel a little better at the realization that she had another reason for which she chose not to talk. She didn't refuse to speak because he was who he was, and because he had treated her like crap ever since the first day he had met her – no, she refused to speak because it simply hurt her too much.

It made no sense, he knew. He had just discovered that seeing her hurt was not good for him, for his sanity, and yet, it seemed to make him feel better, in a way.

No matter what, however, he would have preferred her not to talk to him because she hated him a thousand times more than he would have wanted to see her cry, to see her hurting like this. Obviously, all this happened without him knowing the reason why he felt, thought, and did all these…_stupid things_.

But as another sob ripped from her throat, he realized that he truly couldn't care less about that. He'd had time to think about it later because, just like earlier that day – just like, even though he didn't realize, it had always been – she was his main priority, she was the one that needed to be taken care of.

He didn't know how much time had passed until her tears subsided slightly, her sobs turning into the occasional sigh and sniffle; he continued to hold her tightly against himself, his fingers running through her hair, playing with her pink locks, even when the exhaustion and everything that had happened that day finally caught up with her.

For the first time ever, he held her close as she slept. He wrapped his arms around her. He watched her. He let her snuggle close to him. He was able to play with her hair, to caress her cheek. And the simple way her small body fitted against his, the simple warmth it gave him, made him want to never let her go.

He could have sworn that having her like this was the best feeling in the world.

~•~

When she awoke, he was no longer there. His warmth, along with the protection and comfort he had offered her, was gone. There was only his scent left, lingering on the pillows and all around her. With a sigh, she opened her eyes and looked around, liking the way her vision didn't blur every time she made a move anymore. She had been right before – crying really did help her. Although she wasn't so sure now, in this particular situation, that it had been the fact that she had cried that it had a positive effect on her, or his presence.

She believed, though, that it was the two of them combined.

A small, silent yawn escaped her lips and she turned on her side, stretching slightly, before pressing her face into the pillow and gathering the sheets around her. God, how much she'd want to wake up in this bed every single day. It didn't matter that he wasn't there – no, the simple fact that he _had been_ there was enough for her.

She had many questions that needed to be answered, and there was no doubt that his actions had confused her to a considerable extent, but she didn't even bother with trying to find answers – she knew she wouldn't find them. And, really, at that point, she didn't even need them. Not even his reasons or the fact that she might never see that side of him again bothered her._ Not anymore_. Because, at that point, she was more than content to have actually lived through such an experience.

Sakura briefly wondered if what she had seen earlier that day had been some kind of spirit possessing him, but she shook the thought off. Whatever that had been, it had been great.

Reliving it was much to ask – she knew that – and she wouldn't do so. She'd want to, yes, but she wouldn't.

Sasuke was a cold person, and she knew that what he had done by taking care of her was way out of character. She also knew that he knew it, too, and that he probably wouldn't want it to repeat, that he'd act like it never happened, in the first place. It was strange, feeling that he knew him so well, being sure, in a way, of what his next actions would be, but she didn't pay much attention to the matter. After all, having lived with him for so long, was bound to have an effect on her, on them, on this…_thing_ between them.

With a sigh, she slowly pushed herself into a sitting position, not failing to notice the sheets sliding down her body – she knew for a fact that she wasn't covered by them when she began crying, when he hugged her and pushed her down to lie on the bed next to him. Upon looking around, her eyes fell on a familiar material hanging over the arm of a nearby chair. It was a short robe, made of pink silk – definitely, it wasn't Sasuke's.

Although surprised and confused, she couldn't stop the smile from spreading onto her face. The fact that he had taken care of her and that he had comforted her was one thing; the fact that he had actually thought_ and_ cared enough to actually go to her room and bring her something to get dressed in was another. Getting out of bed, she ignored her state of – let's say _almost _– undress, and padded softly towards the chair. The material felt soft and cool against her skin as she pulled the robe on, then quietly crossed the room in order to reach the door. She wasn't sure whether he was still home, or not, but she guessed he should be – it was Saturday, after all.

She was proved right only a few moments later; as she was walking down the stairs, she saw him in the living room, standing with his back to her. He must have sensed her presence, because he turned around almost immediately, his eyes cold and façade in its place, once again.

Sakura didn't realize, at first, why he was regarding her with that cold look – her mind couldn't process the fact that this man was the same from only a few hours before – but, as soon as she saw the coat in his hands, she understood everything.

"You were that sad, that you went to sleep with another?"

* * *

_A/N: Um, does all this seem kind of rushed to you…?_

_I didn't think so, until I reread it one last time…or maybe it was just me reading in a hurry? I dunno. If you think it's rushed, complain, okay? I don't mind you complaining – I really don't._

_I know Sasuke seemed OOC, but that was needed, in order for this to happen the way I wanted it to – I tried to give some explanations for his actions, but it was kind of hard to include them, and it probably didn't work out perfectly, but, you know, nobody's perfect._

_And now, review, please!_


	5. Impulsive Bastard

_A/N: First of all, I want to apologize for the long wait. I know I've promised this story to be updated almost two weeks ago, but I just wasn't able to keep that promise. I had the first portion of the chapter written, but I couldn't decide what to write next. I wondered whether I'd be good to add more drama and angst to this, but I decided, after a week or so, that the last chapter had been enough for now. I won't keep rambling about it __–__ I just wanted to say sorry. Forgive me? *puppy eyes*_

_Second, many of you were confused about the ending __–__ that question belong to Sasuke. Completely._

_Third, I really don't know how I could ever repay you guys for your support! All I can do is say 'thank you' and hope that I've done a good job with this chapter. Enjoy!_

* * *

_**Incomplete**  
By The Terrorist_

_**Chapter five**  
Impulsive Bastard  
_

_

* * *

_

_She was proved right only a few moments later; as she was walking down the stairs, she saw him in the living room, standing with his back to her. He must have sensed her presence, because he turned around almost immediately, his eyes cold and façade in its place, once again._

_Sakura didn't realize, at first, why he was regarding her with that cold look – her mind couldn't process the fact that this man was the same from only a few hours before – but, as soon as she saw the coat in his hands, she understood everything._

_"You were that sad, that you went to sleep with another?"_

As those words were out of his mouth, her mind was immediately flooded with shock, and she could have sworn it stopped working for a moment. How could he ask such a question, when he'd comforted her right because of that? How could he even _think _of something like that? How did it occur to him that she was capable of doing that?

This was not the man from only a few hours ago. No, definitely, it wasn't. That man was replaced by a cold, uncaring, selfish bastard, who jumped to conclusions without even stopping for a moment and thinking about it; he was replaced by the same man she had married years ago.

Sakura shook her head in disgust, her green eyes piercing through him. "You wouldn't understand what happened, you imbecile. How coul_ –_ " And then she stopped, as an idea slowly formed into her mind. Why should she give him explanations? Why should she tell him the truth? Why, when he obviously didn't give a damn about it, about her?

"And what if that's what happened?" she asked as she played with a lock of her hair, a sly smile appearing on her face. "We both know that I'm not yours – that I've never been yours. That I'll never _be_ yours. You have no right to tell me what to do." She paused for a moment, walking down the rest of the stairs. "Besides," she continued, rolling her eyes. "By now, I don't think I should be able to even get out of the house, knowing with how many women you cheated on me. Half of the city, perhaps."

He shook his head, annoyed. "That's different," he said. "I'm_ – _"

"A man," she said, completing his statement. "I should have known you'd pull that trick on me." She smiled, shaking her head, and slowly began making her way towards him, stopping only when she was inches away. "But sometimes I wonder…" she trailed off for a moment. "Are you a man? Because that's something I've never seen."

Everything happened so fast, that her brain had trouble keeping up with his actions. One second she was in front of him, feeling downright proud with the way her words caused shock and surprise to flood his dark eyes, and the next she was on her back, on the couch, with him on top of her.

"Wha…?" she murmured, more to herself, not understanding, at first, what had happened. "What are you doing?!" she shrieked, trying to push him off her.

"Never seen it?" he asked as he grabbed both of her hands and pinned them above her head, his tight grip making it impossible for her to move. "Doesn't matter! You'll see now!" At first, she didn't understand what he meant by that, but, as soon as she felt him pull her robe open, everything hit her like a ton of bricks.

"What – " she tried to speak, but was cut off as he crushed his lips to her, letting go of her hands so that his could wander down her body. "Sas…uke – stop…damn it, stop!" she tried to speak between his harsh kisses, tried to push him off her, tried to do anything that would make him stop. Her hands pushed desperately against his chest, her whole body squirming under his, but none of her actions seemed to affect him; his mouth was still moving harshly on her own, and one of his hands was now gripping tightly at her thigh.

"Sasuke, please…" she begged, knowing now that, if anything could stop him, that would be words.

And she had been right. Luckily, she had. Upon hearing her, his whole body went rigid, and he immediately stopped – moving, thinking, breathing. _What was he doing?_ Pulling back, he tried to ignore the feelings that woke up inside him at the sight of her tears, and moved his hands so that they were now gripping her hair tightly.

"Listen, Sakura," he started, trying his hardest to pull himself together. "And listen good, because this the first and last time you'll hear this." He didn't know why, but he truly hated the way she immediately nodded, looking up at him with frightened eyes. "Despite everything, I _am_ your husband, and there's nothing you can do about that. No matter how much it annoys you to even think of it, the truth is, I have control over you. I could do anything to you – _anything_," he emphasized, pulling at her hair. "So do not provoke me."

Those were the last words he told her, before getting off her and standing up; he quietly left the room, entering his office and slamming the door behind him. He leaned against it, banging his head back into the wooden surface, while rubbing his face with his hands.

_What had he done?_

~•~

She hadn't talked to him in days. Hell, she hadn't even looked at him. And it wasn't like he couldn't understand why exactly she was avoiding him, but it had been almost a week since that incident, and he was dying for things to go back to normal. Even though he'd never really cared about her presence, even though he'd always found her behavior quite…_annoying_, Sasuke couldn't deny the fact that he_ kind of_ missed having her glare at him, hiss at him, mutter curses directed to him under her breath…missed having her notice him.

He yearned to attract her attention again, he yearned to have the old Sakura back.

She was just too quiet, too reserved…too…well, she was simply not herself. And he hated that. For some unknown reason, he did. He knew it was his fault – his fault for reacting badly to that coat and to her words.

She had probably been so confused when, after only a few hours since he'd comforted her, since he'd held her in his arms as she cried, he began yelling at her and throwing accusations into her face – accusations that, let's admit it, had no foundation whatsoever. Just because she was wrapped up in a coat that was obviously not hers didn't necessarily mean that she had slept with another man – there were so many possible scenarios that it hurt his head to even think of all of them. He knew that – he'd known it all along. But he had been stupid enough to let his feelings – feelings that, he knew, shouldn't exist – control him. He _was_ an impulsive bastard, and there was no denying it.

He hadn't even thought much before speaking. In fact, he hadn't thought at all. Just like he hadn't thought before acting. Her words were meant to annoy him, to anger him, and it was so very frustrating to realize that he'd actually fallen into her trap. Of course, she surely hadn't imagined that he'd react like that. After all, he, himself, couldn't believe that he had reacted like that – how could she had thought of it?

It was like someone else had taken over his body, like some kind of evil spirit had possessed him, because he could hardly remember what he had done to her. Anger had blinded him – literally. He could only remember – more clearly than anything – the pleading tone of her shaky voice as she begged him to stop. It was only then, that he realized just what exactly he had been doing. That_ 'please' _had been the only thing that snapped him back to reality, that made him aware of what he was about to do. That_ 'please'_ had stopped everything.

And he could only thank God – like, really – that it occurred to her to say that. Because he wasn't sure he would have been able to live with himself if he had gotten to do that to her.

_"Sir,"_ his secretary's voice rang through the intercom, snapping him out of his thoughts. _"Mr. Hyuuga's here." _With a sigh and one quick look to the clock that hung on the wall in front of him, Sasuke pressed a button and quickly told her to let him in. He and Mr. Hyuuga – _AKA_ Neji Hyuuga – had been friends for as long as he could remember, for their families knew each other and their mothers used to spend a lot of time together – if he were to guess, Sasuke would say that the two of them still met at least one time a week to _"chat"_.

Neji was getting married in a month to his fiancée, TenTen, who was currently basically latched to his side. Sasuke didn't know much about the girl, for he'd only talked to her once or twice, but he could say that she wasn't_ that_ bad – which, in other words, meant that she reached his standards. She was a bit annoying, yes, but then again, what woman _wasn't_? She looked good, with her brown hair and chocolate eyes, and it was obvious the she was head over heels in love with the man she was going to marry.

_Nothing like his wife_. But then again, their situations were fairly different. She seemed to be, however, as annoying as – or even _more_ than – Sakura. And that curiosity of hers, mixed with her friendly attitude only served to piss him off more.

"Can I meet her?" she asked at some point in their conversation, when Sakura's name was mentioned for some reason or another. At that, Sasuke just shrugged, not really caring. "Tell her to have dinner with us," she encouraged. "And I'll ask her if she wants to be one of my bridesmaids."

_No shit. _Weren't bridesmaids supposed to be persons who were close to the bride? Like, you know, sisters, best friends…you get the point. But TenTen didn't even know Sakura, and Sasuke truly doubted that, in three weeks or so, they would become BFFs or something like that. "You don't even _know_ her," the Uchiha stated bluntly. Besides, for some reason, he didn't actually like the idea. He knew he was being rather selfish, because this was Sakura's chance to, you know, make some friends, but a part of him just didn't want her to do so. He had no idea why, but that's what he felt.

"But I will." Her reply made him wonder just what exactly she was planning. "Besides, it's _my _wedding, right?" she added, sensing his hostility towards her idea. TenTen didn't know much about the situation between Sasuke and Sakura, but she did know that the reason they married for wasn't exactly love, for Neji had told her about it.

Honestly, she couldn't even imagine how it would be like for her father – _her own father _– to force her to marry a guy she didn't even know. Really, she couldn't. If she were in a situation like this, she'd probably run away from home or something, but there was just no way in hell she would be able to handle what Sakura had. That's why he had wanted to meet the pinkette from the moment her fiancé told her about her. Because, in a way, she admired her.

Given the fact that her husband was such good friends with Sasuke, it seemed only normal for her to meet Sakura; add here the fact that she was an extremely – like, _really_ – friendly person, and you can easily understand just why she had no doubts that the two of them would get along perfectly. And, if she could, then why shouldn't she? Make the pinkette her bridesmaid, that is.

~•~

Sasuke sighed quietly as he got out of the car and slowly made his way towards the front door of the house. It had been another tiring day and, even though he wished he could just go upstairs and hit the pillow, he knew he couldn't. After all, he had promised to have dinner with Neji and TenTen; and he had yet to tell Sakura about it, too. Although he didn't want her to come with him, he hoped that, _somehow_, this meeting would manage to snap her out of the state she was in. Of the state_ he_ had, undoubtedly, put her in.

He knew this would annoy her – he also knew what exactly he had to do in order to persuade her to go with him, and he was well-aware that she wouldn't like one bit of it. The idea didn't seem brilliant to him, either, but, in a way, it was a good thing. Because, by annoying her, by making her be angry with him for a total different reason than the one for which she hadn't talked to him in almost a week, Sasuke was sure he'd make her forget – if only for a moment – about what he'd done – or was about to do – a few days ago. At least, he hoped so.

It didn't take him long to find her. She was curled up on the couch in the living room, flipping lazily through the channels, her eyes fixed to the flat screen on the wall. She didn't seem to have noticed him and, if she had, she certainly refused to show it. It was only when he spoke, that he got a reaction out of her – the first one in almost a week.

"Sakura," he said, hoping that it would attract her attention. "I want you to come with me somewhere."

She scoffed, a sign that she had heard him, and turned her head to regard him with an amused expression. "You're kidding, right?" she asked, to which he only raised an eyebrow. "I am _not_ going anywhere with you."

He sighed, having guessed that her reaction would be something akin to this. "I'm afraid I'm not giving you an option," he stated bluntly. "I – _we_ will have lunch with a friend of mine and his fiancée. End of story."

"Hmm," she murmured, and, for a moment, he thought that was a sound of agreement. "His fiancée. Tell me, does your friend treat her the same way you used to treat me?"_ It wasn't._

It didn't take long for him to notice the hidden implication behind her words. Rolling his eyes, he walked closer to her, resting his hands on the back of the couch, on each side of her shoulders. "No," he said, bending over so that he could whisper in her ear. "They're getting married because they _love_ each other," he told her, emphasizing the word _'love'_, and didn't fail to notice the way she tried to hold in a shudder.

"I will_ not _– " she tried to argue, but he cut her off before she had a chance to do so.

"Yes, you will," he spoke sternly. "You will come with me, because I say so. Because I am your husband, remember?" he whispered lowly in her ear, and she squeezed her eyes shut, shaking her head.

"You have no idea how much I hate you, Sasuke…" she said through gritted teeth, to which he could only smirk.

"Oh, I do," he told her, and she turned around so that she could look at him. "Trust me, _I_ _do_." He smirked as her glare intensified. "Now go and get dressed. Half an hour should be enough, right?" She didn't break eye contact as she stood up, forcefully throwing the pillow that she had had in her arms back on the couch, before making her way past him and upstairs.

~•~

Sometimes, it was so hard for her to understand him. Actually, no, scratch that. It was _always_ hard to understand him – so hard that, most of the times, she ended up giving up. And she didn't like giving up. But what else could she do, when it was basically impossible to wrap her mind around some of the things he did?

Take this, for example. After everything he did to her…after what he was about to do to her, how could he force her to have lunch with his friends? Her first impulse had been to refuse and to hit him; she _still_ wanted to do that. But she knew she couldn't. Because, somehow, what he'd done only a few days ago made her aware of the fact that he wasn't what he seemed. He _was _dangerous. And it wasn't like now she was afraid of him – no, she wasn't. But she wasn't so naïve anymore.

Before, for some reason or another, she had always felt safe around him; although he'd hurt her emotionally like no one ever did, he'd never made a move to hurt her physically. Because of that, she used to feel protected with him around. Obviously, that had changed now.

She didn't want to go with him _–_ she really didn't. But, as he had said, it wasn't like she had a choice. Sighing, he entered her walk-in closet and pulled out the closest piece of clothing she could find _–_ a black sweater dress that fell off one shoulder and reached down to her mid-thigh. She pulled it on, along with a pair of thigh high stockings and black, high-heeled boots. It didn't take her long to brush her hair and put on some make-up, for she never wore much, in the first place.

When she walked downstairs, Sasuke was already waiting for her, and the son of a bitch even dared to smirk at her, obviously enjoying the newly-found power he had over her. As she glared at him at full force, however, a thought hit her: it would be the first time_ ever _she would have to climb into the same car as him. Not even on the day of their wedding, did something like that happen _–_ it had been his brother that had brought her home, since Sasuke apparently had some things to take care of.

Well, she could only hope that they'd manage to stand being in such proximity _–_ _without_ crashing into a tree, that is.

* * *

_A/N: I apologize for the shortness of this chapter, but you gotta understand that not all can be gigantic. And the length of this one is…acceptable, so deal with it!_

_Yes, it's okay if the beginning of the chapter freaked you out. I won't say that it was supposed to, but I will repeat what I said at the very beginning of the story -- there will be a lot of drama here. A LOT. So, yeah. However, I didn't want to accentuate just how hurt and scared Sakura was by his actions, cause the last chapter had been all about her crying, too, and I could only guess that it would be boring if I did so. Instead, I decided to focus on other things – because, you know, life goes on!_

_If it seems they are acting way too normal after what he's done, just remember: it's been almost a week since then, and they both had enough time to be angsty and feel guilty.  
If TenTen's behavior seems still rather weird, even after the explanations I have tried to include there, I assure you that everything will be cleared up in the following chapters.  
No, Neji and TenTen's wedding hasn't been randomly put here. The fact that she wants to make Sakura one of her bridesmaids, neither._

_Anymore questions? All you have to do is ask. I'll either PM the answer back to you, or answer at the beginning of the next chapter._

_Also, if you're interested in Sakura's outfit, you can go to my profile. The link is there. ;)_

_Now, review, please! :)  
One Review = One Cookie._


	6. Her Decision

_A/N: Quick update. I just had to write this chapter, cause it kept bugging me and bugging me and bugging me and…gah, whatever! You guys are probably happy because of that. anyway!_

_I think I've said this once before, but I'll say it again: you guys are amazing! Thank you very much for all your reviews – they motivate, inspire me, and they're probably the ones that bug me to keep writing for this story the moment I finish posting a chapter._

_P.S: Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everybody!_

* * *

_**Incomplete**  
By The Terrorist_

_**Chapter six**  
Her Decision_

* * *

It was weird, Sakura noted. But weird in a good way. So just…_strange_. Yeah, simply strange.

She didn't know whether it was because of the circumstances – because Sasuke and her fiancé were talking about business, and she didn't seem particularly interested in that – but this woman – TenTen, as she had introduced herself earlier – was acting like she'd known her all her life. She kept talking and asking questions, and, surprisingly, she looked really interested in what the pinkette had to say. It wasn't like she talked much, the shock of how this woman was acting having yet to settle into her mind, but she did answer her questions – how rude would it be if she didn't? – and it was obvious that she wasn't asking them just out of courtesy.

She was friendly – _really_ friendly. She had long, dark-brown hair and warm, chocolate eyes; she was dressed in a nice, red dress that strangely made her eyes stand out and a pair of high-heeled booties that made her look taller than she actually was. And_ that _was basically all she knew about this being who was currently acting like her BFF.

Sakura briefly wondered if she was the reason why Sasuke had seemed so keen on getting her to have dinner with them, but she quickly dismissed the thought. Maybe it was partially because she had probably asked him, but her husband must have had another very good reason – after all, when did he _ever_ listen to what others asked him?

Now that she thought about it, the pinkette discovered that she could even suppose – and actually be quite sure of it – what that reason was: he wanted to show her that everything he'd said only a few days ago was true. He wanted her to realize that he had control over her and that he could use that against her whenever he felt like it.

_Bastard_. Why was he doing that, anyway? It wasn't like he could have any doubts that she had understood – not after how scared she must have probably looked when he told her that. Heh, he was most likely just playing with her, enjoying the power he so obviously had over her to the maximum.

"So, I was thinking," TenTen started, her voice managing to finally snap her out of her thoughts. "I need another bridesmaid, you know?" Sakura made a small sound of agreement, letting the brunette know that she was listening. "And I was wondering if you didn't want to be one." It took her a while to process what she had just said. When that finally happened, however, her eyes widened and she almost chocked on her food.

"What?" was the only thing she managed to get out, as she was perfectly sure that she had heard her wrong; she frowned and reached out for her glass, bringing it to her lips and taking a small sip of her drink.

"I asked you if you wanted to be my bridesmaid," TenTen repeated, smiling, as if she hadn't even noticed the shock her statement caused the girl in front of her.

"But – but you've just met me!" she blurted out, a frown still adorning her features.

Upon hearing her statement, the brunette rolled her eyes. "Gosh, you guys are really meant for each other," she said, gesturing between Sakura and the Uchiha who – surprisingly enough – chose to sit next to her. Sasuke heard her, and turned to regard her with a cold glare, but, otherwise than that, didn't comment; his wife, on the other hand, looked like she was seriously contemplating asking Neji whether she had ever been to a psychiatrist or would do so, in the near future. "I _know_ I've just met you," she replied, rolling her eyes again. "I don't see how that's a problem, though." She shrugged and took a bit out of her food, ignoring – _or_ not noticing – the weird look the pinkette was giving her.

"Bridesmaids," Sakura started, heaving a sigh, "are supposed to be a bunch of persons close to the bride – sisters, best friends…you get the point," she said, shrugging. Sasuke couldn't help but notice how – _surprisingly_ – similar her thinking was to his, but immediately shook the idea off his mind; it had nothing to do there.

"Eh," TenTen waved her off, "we live in modern times. You're the wife of my fiancé's best friend, and I like you." She shrugged again. "I don't see what's wrong with asking you to be my bridesmaid."

Sakura shook her head. "I – "

"If you don't want to, all you have to do is tell me," the brunette said, cutting her off.

Again, she tried to speak, but was interrupted before she had a chance to say all she wanted to. "It's not that I don't want to – "

"Then it's settled!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands together in delight. Neji turned to regard her with a rather amused look, an eyebrow raised at her childish behavior, to which she only leaned back into him slightly, her smile growing wider as a small smirk appeared on his face.

Sasuke and Sakura, too, exchanged a look – one that clearly told them that they were probably thinking the same thing at that point – and, although it certainly wasn't anything near the happiness and the love the couple in front of them displayed, it_ was_ something, nonetheless. For them, a look of understanding like that one meant so much more than anybody could possibly imagine._ Not_ that any of them noticed or was particularly interested in that.

"I don't even know anybody," Sakura stated a few moments later. "I only know Sasuke and the two of you. How – "

"That can be easily arranged," she interrupted her, yet again, rolling her eyes. "In fact, if you want to, I can take you to meet the other bridesmaids right now."

Did she often have this many bright ideas, or was it just today? TenTen looked contemplative and Sakura knew from the moment she'd seen it, that she wouldn't get to finish her sentence this time, either. "I'm not sure – "

"In fact, that's a pretty good idea! Come on, I'll take you!" For a moment, she thought she was kidding – it seemed like she wasn't, though. "Give me the car keys," she said, turning towards her husband, who, in turn, looked at her with a shocked expression plastered on his face.

"No," he stated bluntly, as if that were the most obvious thing in the entire world.

"Oh, come on," she pleaded, her voice dropping to a whine. "Sasuke can take you home," she said, gesturing towards the brooding Uchiha.

"It's not about _me_ not being able to get home," he explained, shaking his head, though his posture remained relaxed. "It's about _you_ not driving straight into a tree."

"But I _want_ Sakura to meet the girls!" she whined, pouting, and Sakura didn't fail to notice the effect it had on her fiancé. It was like in one of those cheesy movies, when the girl pouted and used her magic on her boyfriend, making him comply to whatever she wanted. "I'll drive carefully, I promise."

But "No," was still his answer.

"Why not?"

"Because, to you_ 'driving carefully'_ means crashing into a street pole, not a tree."

Although this was getting more and more amusing with each second passing by, Sakura felt the need to stop them somehow, so that they wouldn't get into a fight or something. Sure, it wasn't her business at all, but, one way or another, she was involved – it was her who TenTen wanted to take…wherever she had in mind, and the last thing she wanted was the two of them fighting because of her.

"I can drive," she spoke slowly and hesitantly, unsure of how her offer would be received. A few moments later, it was obvious that her insecurities were completely unnecessary – the brunette grinned and nodded excitedly, sending her fiancé a look that basically yelled: _'see? I told you it's going to work out somehow'_. Neji seemed to be hesitating in taking a decision but, after a few moments, he nodded; he reached down his pocket and then leaned forward, handing Sakura a key over the table.

"If you value your life, don't give it to her if – _when_ she asks you to." His statement made her chuckle, but she didn't fail to notice the fact that he was dead serious, so she made a small mental note to keep it in mind.

~•~

"Don't mind what he said about me," TenTen muttered at some point in their journey, after she had indicated Sakura where they had to arrive. "I'm not_ that_ much of a bad driver." She rolled her eyes. "He's just exaggerating, as always."

"Can I ask you something?" Sakura asked, unable to contain herself anymore; she'd been trying to do so ever since she met her and she could proudly say that she'd managed to refrain herself from doing so long enough. Surely, she would've liked her control to last longer – actually, she would've liked to _never_ ask her something like this – but too much was simply too much. She needed explanations, and she needed them as soon as possible – as in for, _right now_.

"Yeah, sure," she replied, shrugging.

"Why are you acting like this?" she finally blurted out, frowning.

"Acting like what?" came the response from her right, and the pinkette resisted the urge to turn her head to look at her.

"Like you've known me forever." She knew how that sounded, but she also knew she couldn't say it any other way; she could only hope that TenTen wouldn't take it as if she was being rude to her. "I mean – " she started, but stopped abruptly, trying her hardest to find the right words. "You're like…friendly…" she trailed off, frowning lightly, then quickly continued: "and it's not like that's a bad thing, but it's just…I don't know…_weird_."

TenTen raised an eyebrow. "Does it seem _weird_ to you that I'm _friendly_?" she asked, an amused edge to her voice.

"No," Sakura said, shaking her head; so far, she wasn't doing such a great job at explaining what she thought and felt. "You're a _really_ friendly person – I got that." She nodded. "But the way you've acted – the way you're _still_ acting towards me is so much more than that. You're acting like you're my best friend – and that doesn't bother me at all," she added quickly, not wanting her to get the wrong impression. "But, you know, it's not everyday that something like this happens – not everybody acts like this."

"Well, I'm _a lot_ more special," she proclaimed proudly, grinning. "You'll get used to it, sooner or later." She paused for a moment, before speaking again: "And about the bridesmaid thing…again, I'll tell you: if you don't want to, I have absolutely no prob – "

It was Sakura who interrupted her this time. "I want to," she immediately said, then frowned. "I mean, I_ think_ I want to." Really, she felt like slapping herself for sounding so stupid. "I just…" she tried again, but ended up trailing off, not knowing – yet again – how to explain everything that was going on through her head.

TenTen nodded, apparently understanding what she meant. "It's been too sudden, I know."

"Yeah," the pinkette agreed. "To be honest, it totally caught me off guard." She chuckled, smiling a little, and stopped at a red light. "But I'll do it," she finished in a decisive tone, and TenTen beamed at her, quietly thanking her. "I just can't believe I've been asked to do something like this," she breathed out after a few long moments of silence, shaking her head as another smile made its appearance onto her face.

"I have a feeling you're beginning to exaggerate, too," the brunette told her and rolled her chocolate eyes. "I know it's not a common thing, but it's not_ that_ weird, either."

Sakura chuckled. "TenTen, I don't know whether you realized it or not, but weddings are_ kind of_ a big deal – not many women would take a chance by choosing a bridesmaid they have yet to find out more about –_ 'more'_ as in for, more than her name," she said, just as the light turned green, and started moving again.

"Yes, _yes_, I know." She rolled her eyes again. "But you're a nice girl – I'm sure of it. Besides, you're – "

" – the wife of your fiancé's best friend, I know," the pinkette filled in for her and took her turn at rolling her eyes.

"Yes," TenTen agreed, nodding. "That being said, it only seems normal for us to become friends," she confessed, shrugging lightly. "At least for me, that is." She spoke again only a few moments later: "And if it still seems weird to you, then think of it this way: wouldn't you have done the same?" At that, Sakura frowned, and she took it as a sign of having to give her more explanations. "Let's just say that the same thing happened to you, too, a few weeks before your own wedding. What would you have done? Wouldn't you ha – "

"I'm not sure I'm the best person you can talk to about this," Sakura said, interrupting her, and turned for a moment to look at her, before returning her attention to the road in front of her. "I didn't actually plan my wedding, you know? So I wouldn't have gotten a chance to do what you just did."

"Oh," was the only thing she managed to get out for a few seconds. TenTen knew that Sakura had been forced to marry the Uchiha, but from there, to not being allowed to plan her _own _wedding was a _very_ long way. And, if she first thought that marrying a man who she knew nothing about must have been unimaginably hard, now she could clearly see that the whole situation was far more complex than simply that, and that the pinkette had been through much more than she could ever know – _and_ understand. "I'm sorry," she spoke again. "I didn't – "

"It's okay," Sakura interrupted, waving her off. "It's the past." She knew that, probably, TenTen thought that her speaking of this bothered her, but it truly didn't. Sure, there was no denying that, at first, she used to feel rather jealous while watching other women being happy and having everything they could ever want in matters of love, but now the truth was that she couldn't care less. She had never been a person that liked seeing others unhappy, just because that was exactly how she felt; actually, she felt rather good when people around her looked happy, satisfied with their lives – she was _very_ far from being a selfish person. Sakura had a feeling she could never be selfish, no matter how much she tried –_ if_ she ever had to try, that is.

"It must have been pretty hard for you," TenTen spoke again, attracting her attention.

She nodded. "It was – I won't lie. It _still_ is," she said, remembering the incident from only a few days ago. "But I got used to it." She shrugged. "Life goes on, no matter what, and I certainly had – _have _no intention whatsoever of letting this weight me down." It was amazing how easy it sounded when, in reality, it was so much harder.

"I know I shouldn't ask this," the brunette started, and Sakura frowned both at her words and at the tone she used. "But…have you ever tried to make it work?" she asked softly. "Have you ever tried to…I don't know, show him that, regardless of the circumstances you got married in, there could be a relationship between the two of you?"

The pinkette smiled. "Of course," she answered and briefly noticed that they had already reached their destination; she pulled into the parking lot of the nightclub – or what she supposed to be it – TenTen had indicated and cut off the engine, shifting lightly in order to face the brunette. "I was naïve – I guess I still am in certain matters. I truly believed that it could work out, somehow. It didn't, obviously," she said, rolling her eyes and fighting against the lump in her throat. What was it with her and crying every time the failure regarding her marriage came up? "Apparently, he wasn't at all interested in making this – whatever_ 'this' _means – work." She shrugged indifferently. "But, whatever."

"Have you ever thought of trying again?" TenTen asked hesitantly, biting her lip, and Sakura immediately caught on – the way her chocolate-brown eyes sparkled in the relative darkness of the car was more than enough to make her realize that she hadn't asked that just because. It was almost unbelievable, how she seemed to know her so well when she had only met her a few hours before.

"I don't know what's going on in that head of yours," she started, shaking her head. "But I'll _never_ give him a chance to break my heart again." The brunette opened her mouth to speak again, but she cut her off before she had a chance. "End of story. Now, come on, take me to meet who you want me to," she said as she unbuckled her seat-belt and opened her car door, quietly stepping out as her new friend did the same.

Of course, TenTen didn't like the fact that she had to end the conversation so early and so suddenly, but she had no right to press on the matter as long as Sakura didn't want –or didn't allow – her to. She would want to tell her about what she had in mind, but that was going to happen only when the pinkette would want – because, again, she had no right to get involved into her life when she didn't want her to.

"How do you know they're here?" Sakura asked, confusion shining in her forest-green eyes, as she turned to face her, a small frown present on her face.

"Well, they invited me to go with them, too, but I refused, cause I already told Neji that I'd have dinner with him and Sasuke," she explained. "I did tell them that I might come later, though," she added as they both started walking towards the entrance.

"Is this a nightclub?" the pinkette asked, curious.

TenTen shrugged lightly. "More or less. Like a café, a bar and a nightclub mixed together," she laughed.

"I guess your friends are rather sophisticated," she said, frowning lightly, but not quite able to keep the smile from spreading onto her face. It had been so long since she last entered a nightclub – since she last went out to simply have fun with her friends, period – that the simple thought of it was enough to make her all giddy and excited.

"They're not," the brunette said, shaking her head. "They're a bunch of fools – I have no idea how I managed to find them all." She grinned. "You'll love them, I'm sure," she said, and Sakura couldn't help but smile back.

It was amazing how this day turned out to be – it started normally, continued with her husband showing off his power and forcing her to go out with him, carried forward with her meeting TenTen and ending up being asked to be a bridesmaid at her wedding, and now she was here, in this place. Who knew what else fate had in store for her? Heh, that was almost impossible to guess. But it wasn't like she didn't like this. In fact, she actually liked it – _a lot._ There are no words to describe how much she had missed the surprises one would unavoidably encounter when living their life to the fullest.

_Wait_. She had only been out for a few hours, and she already felt like she was living her life_ to the fullest_? Had marrying Sasuke really managed to change her so much? _No_. It hadn't been just that – there had been other factors involved. But, anyway, the fact remains: _she had changed_. And now, as she followed TenTen through the constantly moving crowd, as she felt this energy all around her, she was sure of only one this: she _wanted_ her old life back.

And she'd get it, no matter what. After all, she was in all her rights to act as if she were totally free of all responsibilities, just like her husband, right? Her mind was made up from the moment she entered the nightclub; she was tired of being the _'good one'_ in their so-called relationship. If Sasuke could live his life, then so could she. And something told her that meeting these girls was exactly what she needed in order to get started. After all, making friends was the first step – _always and in everything_.

"There they are!" the brunette exclaimed loudly, hoping that Sakura would hear her over the noise that was all around them. She did and immediately looked in the direction where TenTen was pointing: two leggy blondes and another girl with dark hair – she couldn't tell whether it truly had purple and dark blue reflexes in it or it was only because of the way the club was lit.

One of the blondes was wearing a green dress, the other a leopard-printed one, while the dark-haired woman was wearing a black blouse together with a skirt with a shimmery texture; no matter the color, though, their dresses were all short, reaching down a little – or a little more, it depended – higher than their mid-thighs. But then again, this _was_ a club – the faint remembrance of how she used to dress upon going to places like these, coupled with Seiji's constant dissatisfied mumble managed to bring yet another smile to her face.

Two of them were dressed in purple and one in black, though,

It didn't take them long to reach them and, after a serious of squeals and hugs, TenTen finally took her time to introduce Sakura to each and every one of them. One of the blondes was Ino – she had baby blue eyes and her golden hair reached down to her mid-back; at first sight, she seemed crazy, a bit hyperactive and keen on having her share of fun tonight (and possibly every other night and day). The other blonde was Temari – she, too, had blue eyes, only hers were darker, and her hair was shorter, the tips barely grazing her shoulders; honestly, she didn't seem much better than her companion, but Sakura didn't want to jump to conclusions so fast.

The last one of the group was Hinata – long, straight, raven hair (which, yes, seemed to really have those reflexes Sakura had first noticed) and lavender-colored eyes; although she seemed to be a little shy, Sakura was sure that she was the only one with her feet on the ground. Sincerely, it seemed like the group seriously needed somebody like that.

"What took you girls so long to arrive?" Ino complained at some point while they were all seated at the bar, sounding downright annoyed.

"Well, it's been a while until I finally managed to get Neji to get me the car keys – you know how annoying he can get," TenTen answered, shrugging. "Besides," she added a few moments later, "It hasn't been easy to convince this stubborn being right here," – she threw Sakura a meaningful glance – "to come with me, cause everything suddenly seemed _really_ weird to her."

The pinkette had to fight hard to keep her mouth from dropping open. "You _planned_ this?" she hissed, shocked, as realization finally sunk into her brain. Sure, TenTen had already said that she had told her girls that she might arrive later, but she never mentioned anything abut arriving later _with her _– at least not to Sakura.

The brunette shrugged again. "Not really," she said. "But I told them about you – I knew that, if you agreed to my idea," – she didn't have to explain what her_ 'idea' _was, because Sakura knew that she was talking about her accepting to be her bridesmaid – "I'd bring you here, nonetheless."

"So why didn't you just say so from the very beginning?" the pinkette asked, frowning. Really, she wouldn't have minded if she'd done so – after all, what was there to get mad about? TenTen was just a girl who had planned everything very well – Sakura, herself, was very attentive to details, so she could say that she understood her perfectly. What she didn't understand was why the girl hadn't told her about it from the beginning.

"Honestly, I just didn't think it was good if I told you that while Sasuke was there," the brunette confessed, smiling guiltily.

Sakura's frown deepened. "Sasuke does _not _control me, TenTen."

"Of course he doesn't," she spoke, rolling her eyes. "I just didn't like the look he gave me when I –_ accidentally_ – told him about wanting to make you my bridesmaid. I had a feeling that he'd do the same if I were so straightforward with my intentions," she explained.

"What look?" the pinkette asked, still frowning in confusion. _What did Sasuke do this time?_

TenTen frowned lightly herself. "I don't know how to explain this to you exactly," she said, silently contemplating just how exactly she should put in words what she'd felt back then. "It was a look like those…it was as if he didn't like the idea, as if he actually_ loathed_ it. I don't know why, though, and if you could explain to me, I'd be really grateful." Sakura didn't answer right away, her brain having yet to process the information it had been given. Sasuke didn't want her to be TenTen's bridesmaid? But he seemed pretty keen on getting her to have dinner with them, so why…? "I mean, it's really – I _can't_ believe I'm using this word – weird. Why wouldn't he want us to be friends?" Oh, so _that_ was it.

The Uchiha had no problem with Sakura meeting TenTen – he did have a problem with the two of them becoming friends, though. And, suddenly, she had a feeling she knew exactly why – that bastard didn't want her to make friends. He didn't want her to have someone to talk to, he didn't want her to have someone to get out with from time to time; he didn't want her to change – he wanted her to remain the same fool that always spent the whole day locked up in the house, watching TV and talking only to the girl that came once a week to clean up a little bit. He didn't want her to live her life – he wanted her to act like a decent, married woman.

_He didn't want her to act like him_.

"It's nothing, don't worry about it," she replied steadily a few moments later. "He's just a selfish son of a bitch, that's all."

Just a selfish son of a bitch, indeed. But one that would see, very soon, what failure meant, nonetheless. Sakura would make sure that he understood how she felt when he came home late and simply went to bed without sparing her a glance, without giving her at least one explanation – no matter how small and how much of a lie that explanation was. He'd see what it meant to have the person he'd married live her life to the fullest without caring about the ring on her finger – the one that he never bothered with wearing, in the first place. He'd see what it was like to feel what she'd been feeling ever since she married him.

Sakura would make sure of that – starting now, she would._ 'I'm curious to see how well he'll handle everything…I wonder whether he'll care, in the first place…'_ she thought, a small frown appearing on her features.

"Hey girls, wanna go out tomorrow night?" a voice she had gotten to know snapped her out of her thoughts, making her aware of her surroundings once more. She soon realized that it was Ino who had spoken, for the girl had just taken a seat at the bar and was looking at them expectantly. Temari answered right away, agreeing with her plan without even thinking – _probably_ – and Hinata followed with a soft nod. She didn't look particularly excited about it and Sakura assumed that the girl knew she had no chance of saying_ 'no'_, in the first place.

It was TenTen who refused. "I can't." She shook her head. "I'm having dinner with Neji's family."

"TenTen," the blonde whined, "these are your last days of freedom, woman!" she exclaimed, slamming her hands on the table in fake annoyance. "You cannot spend them like that!"

The brunette rolled her eyes. "I know, I know. I'm just really busy this week," she said, the added, "And the week after that." Upon hearing that, the two blondes glared at her, while Sakura and Hinata only smiled and chuckled. "Anyway," she stressed out the word in order to get their attention again, "we'll have time to party, I promise. Remember that we all have to go to New York to get my dress and to – _hopefully_ – find all of you some nice dresses – we've established that, haven't we?" she asked, receiving a nod from all of them – well, minus Sakura, who only found out now about their so-called _'plans'_.

"And we shouldn't forget that they have the coolest clubs in New York." Sakura couldn't help but laugh lightly at the expression of delight the two blondes in front of her displayed at the mention of_ 'the coolest clubs'_. "So, that being said, you don't have to get all hissy on me just because I can't come tomorrow night with you," she finished, smiling. "Besides, Sakura here can very well accompany you," she added after a moment's thought, placing a hand on Sakura's shoulder.

"Right," Ino nodded and turned her attention to said person. "It didn't even occur to me that you _aren't _coming – because you are, right?"

She really needn't have asked that. "Sure," Sakura replied, grinning.

_'Take that, you selfish bastard!'_

* * *

_A/N: So, how was that? Not rushed, I hope. And, definitely, not short _–_ that, I'm sure of.  
NEXT CHAPTER: Sasuke's thoughts on all this. Sakura has her share of fun. It is possible that she'll meet Naruto again, but I'm not sure about it yet._

_Yes, Naruto and Hinata are together.  
Yes, TenTen has a plan _–_ okay, not a plan, but she certainly has an idea. You'll see how that works in latter chapters.  
Yes, the girls will have to make a trip to New York, where they'll spend a few days. We'll just have to see how well Sasuke copes with his wife's absence._

_Also, Itachi may make his appearance in this story _–_ again, it's not something I'm sure of, but he's one of my favorite characters (yeah, since the manga chapter where Madara told Sasuke the truth XD) and I'd like to include him into all this. Besides, who better then him to kick some sense into Sasuke? (Besides Naruto, who'll undoubtedly do that, but in order to protect Sakura, not to make the Uchiha open his eyes and actually see what he has in front of him)._

_If you're interested in what the girls are wearing in this chapter, go to my profile! The links will be there. _

_Now…who wants a cookie? Well, I'm sure you know what to do in order to get one! Review, please! :)_


	7. It's Over

_A/N: I don't think I have something to tell you. Expect for the fact that this story is now my main priority. (You should have seen that one coming, anyway). My other stories will obviously not be dropped, but I wanna focus on this one, cause, when it comes down to it, my inspiration hits me every five minutes. I have many, many ideas and words just seem to flow when I start writing a chapter for this story, so I guess it won't be long till I manage to finish this. _

_As for Sakura going to Kleinfeld and appearing on TV, I must admit, I've thought about it, too, but then I realized that it wasn't really possible. Since there's only one month left until her wedding, TenTen – like any other normal woman would do, probably – has already chosen her dress, so all she has to do now is go there, try it on again, and then take it home. Oh, and they have to buy the bridesmaid dresses and everything (but that's beside the point). But, anyway, don't worry, cause I have another surprise prepared for when they go to New York (Aka, a mysterious character will make his/her appearance. I won't tell you who that character is, obviously). _

_Oh, and I'd like to thank you all – yes, again – for your support. Knowing that so many of you are reading what I write is amazing. So, yeah, thank you!_

* * *

_**Incomplete**  
By The Terrorist_

_**Chapter seven**  
It's Over_

* * *

"What's wrong with her?"

Those were the first words Neji uttered as soon as the pinkette and his fiancée were out of the restaurant. The Uchiha threw him a weird look, not having the slightest idea what he could possibly be talking about, but knowing that his question was sudden and rather strange.

"Is there something wrong with her?" he asked, a bit confused with his friend's words. He hadn't noticed anything strange at his wife, but it wasn't like he had been paying her much attention. Sure Sasuke knew she was mad at him because he forced her to come with him – and because he showed off the control he _(supposedly)_ had over her – but then again, when wasn't she? He always did something to annoy and upset her. That being said, you can easily realize just how used he was to her being this way – for him, seeing her mad at him was something normal. Perhaps that's what seemed so wrong to Neji. (Because he definitely didn't treat his future wife like that. But that's beside the point.)

However, he soon realized that, no, that wasn't it. "That's what I'm asking you," he said. "What is wrong with her?"

The Uchiha shrugged indifferently. "I don't know. She's probably just ups – "

"That's not what I meant," Neji cut him off, shaking her head. "I'm not asking you what's wrong with her at the moment – I'm asking you what's wrong with her in general." Upon hearing those words, it didn't take long for the Uchiha to understand what his friend was trying to find out. "Why do you hate her so much?"

Sasuke frowned. "I don't hate her," he mumbled, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. His relationship – or lack thereof – with Sakura was something he didn't even like to think about, much less talk about. For some reason or another, everybody – who was close enough to him to know the truth about the circumstances they got married in – assumed that he hated her. He _didn't_ – he simply didn't like her. And he had no idea why everybody wanted him to give them a reason for that – he didn't have, nor did he need a reason; he simply didn't like her,_ period_. What was so hard to process, anyway?

"Well, you treat her pretty badly." It just seemed like every person that brought the subject on was only interested in one thing: making him reflect upon his behavior towards the pinkette – the behavior that seemed wrong to everybody who met Sakura. _But of course_. With her innocent appearance, it was almost impossible for someone not to think that _he_ was the problem in their marriage – which, he _wasn't_. Because, _damn it_, their marriage didn't even exist – all that existed was a signed paper; nothing more, nothing less. "And I don't get it, for she seems okay to me." I have a feeling I don't have to tell you guys that, when coming from a person like Neji, _'okay'_ meant a lot.

"Yeah," the Uchiha muttered under his breath again. "Until she opens her mouth."

"Well, that's even more confusing." Was it just him, or did the Hyuuga sound amused? There was no telling that from his expression, for his façade was as unreadable as Sasuke's, but the Uchiha was not stupid and he knew him far too well for him to think that he'd simply imagined it. Neji _was_ amused – why, he had no idea. "I thought you liked stubborn, opinionated women." Oh, so _that_ was it. He thought that the whole situation was amusing – he thought that Sasuke's inability to tell what exactly made him reject the pinkette so many times was humorous. Seriously, now. There was absolutely_ nothing _funny about that.

"Sakura is…" he started through gritted teeth, determined to explain to him what exactly was wrong with her, but ended up training off, unable to find the right word to describe her. "…different," he finally spoke after a few long moments of silence, and almost felt the urge to slap himself as he saw his friend smirking.

"I suppose she is," was his only reply.

Luckily, he didn't press on the matter anymore, and the conversation gradually drifted from Sakura back to business. It wasn't long until they decided to end the discussion and go home. And now, Sasuke found himself in his huge mansion – a mansion which seemed incredibly _(and stupidly)_ empty without her in it – spread out on the couch in the living room, a drink in his hand, from which he quietly sipped every five seconds or so – because alcohol was something his system truly needed at that point.

His conversation with Neji had left him thinking over a subject that he wasn't particularly fond of, and he had no doubt that drinking would solve everything. After all, what better way of getting something off your mind than completely numbing your brain? So far, however, it wasn't working very well – that, he had to admit – but it wasn't like he'd been drinking for long. It had been only an hour or so since he first touched that bottle of Scotch. Besides, he was that kind of person that needed to drink barrels of alcohol in order to get completely wasted.

So getting drunk wasn't exactly his number one worry at this point. His wife, on the other hand, was a totally different matter. No – _no_, that didn't sound right, for he didn't actually consider her absence something that was worth worrying about – it was more of an annoyance. But _everything_ related to her was an annoyance and, since he was very well aware of that, he soon found himself wondering just why the hell he was up at this hour of the night, drinking and thinking about her.

Sure, it _was_ late. And sure, she wasn't home yet. Yeah, he had no idea where she could_ possibly_ be at this hour. Yeah, she _could_ be doing something _very specific_ with somebody while he was sitting here, wasting time. And of course, she had _never_ done something like that before – arriving home this late, that is. (For the sake of his sanity, let's just ignore that fact that she hadn't actually arrived home _yet_). But, hey, when had he_ ever_ cared about what she was doing?

He got home late every single day, and it wasn't always that he got to see her before he went up to his room and collapsed on his bed. He did know, however, that she was home – because, the way he saw it (or_ had seen_ it, up until now) she had no business going out this late – and, although he'd never noticed (or known how to appreciate it), it gave him a sense of comfort – whether he was conscious of it or not didn't really matter.

Now, however, he knew for sure that she was _not_ home and the fact that she had been missing for the last _four hours_ made her absence ten times more annoying.

Besides, what could she possibly be doing that was taking so long? Sasuke was as sure as heck that, no matter how many girlfriends TenTen had, she would've already finished introducing them by now. And let's say that she remained there (_wherever_ that meant) to chat a little – fine, Sasuke could definitely understand that. He also knew – and understood the fact – that women had a tendency to talk _a lot_.

All that combined could very well take her…_two_ hours? Fine, two _and_ a half. But then she'd realize it was about time to get moving and fucking come home. _Right?_ Of course she would. After all, Sakura wasn't _that_ stupid – she was well aware of the fact that she was a married woman and that, despite the situation the two of them were in, she had to act upon that title.

Unless she was doing it on purpose, of course. Which seemed like plausible option, now that he thought about it. It was much like her, doing these kind of things – after all, she always had a tendency of getting _really _stubborn and rebel when annoyed or simply upset. So yeah, it was pretty much possible that he'd just found the reason for which she wasn't home yet.

Now, if only he could realize just what he'd done to anger her this time… Was it the fact that he'd forced her to go out with him? It could be…but wouldn't the fact that TenTen asked her to be her bridesmaid lighten her mood a little? It should, and she must be aware of the fact that, if he hadn't made her have dinner with them, she would have never gotten a chance to meet the brunette. Sakura was a smart woman – surely, she must have noticed that his actions had had good consequences, too. But, if that wasn't it, then what was it that made her do this to hi –_ err_, that made her stay out this late?

Sasuke turned his head to look at the clock for what seemed like the tenth time in the last five minutes – 1:34 am.

_Where the fuck was she?_

~•~

2:46 am.

That was the exact hour when he finally heard the front door opening. Although the door was heavy and always made a loud slamming sound when someone closed it, this time, it didn't; the only thing that resounded through the empty house was a soft click – a clear sign that she had been _very_ careful not to make any noise. He briefly wondered if she was trying to hide her late arrival from him. Her heels made small noises as they clicked against the hardwood floor, and he decided that it'd be better to talk to her now, than to wait until tomorrow.

With that thought in mind, he stood up from the couch, setting his now empty glass on the table a little more forcefully than was necessary, and quickly made his way out of the living room.

It didn't surprise him that his sudden appearance scared her, for he'd always been more of a quiet person – his mother used to glare at him every morning because of that. His wife's reaction wasn't very different.

"Are you _crazy_?" she gasped, one of her hands shooting up to her chest in an effort to calm her erratic heartbeat. "What are you doing up at this hour?"

He didn't answer – after all, he wasn't obligated to explain everything to her. (Besides, how would have _'I was waiting for you to get home, idiot,'_ sounded like? Stupid, obviously). "Where have you been?" he asked instead, going straight to the subject. Maybe he didn't have any explanations he wanted – _or needed_ – to give her, but she definitely did.

Sakura closed her eyes for a brief moment and allowed a small smirk to make its appearance on her face. To be sincere, she had expected him to bark something at her for getting home so late, but she had definitely _not _expected him to actually stay up and wait for her._ Aww_. Under other circumstances, she might have thought of it as _'cute'_. Too bad the situation they were in was far from what that word stood up for. "Is there something bothering you, Sasuke?" _'Is the fact that I've finally gotten a chance to act like you bothering you, honey?'_

"I asked you where you've been," he repeated through gritted teeth, already annoyed with her calm appearance. "I expect an answer."

"Of course." She nodded, her smirk fading at his words. "You _always_ expect answers to your questions, you deserve _all_ the explanations in the world – and I, just like everybody else, am obligated to give them to you. Am I right?" she asked, but didn't give him a chance to answer. Of course, he'd agree with her, and that wouldn't help with her self-control – it wouldn't help her restrain herself from lunging for his throat.

She hadn't spent this whole time with the girls. Yes, she knew it was weird, for she hadn't been out in like, _years_, and the girls had seemed really interested in getting to know her, but, since she realized that she couldn't focus on their questions properly, Sakura had decided to leave and put some order in her thoughts – after all, they had tomorrow night to get to know each other better.

So she said her goodbyes and left the nightclub, refusing TenTen's offer of taking her home in the process; she'd taken a taxi to the one place she could think without feeling interrupted or judged by anybody – _his grave_. It sounded like a scene straight out of a horror movie, she knew – she, the girl who had just had fun in a nightclub, leaving her friends and going to the cemetery in the middle of the night; the only ones missing were the zombies or the psychopathic criminal, right? But it wasn't like that. To be honest, that was the only place she felt peaceful – maybe it was because she felt closer to him, closer to the person that had once meant everything to her, or maybe it was because her stupid mind perceived that place a place where she was protected, both physically and emotionally, from _everything_ and _everyone_.

It would sound stupid to any other person, but then again, it wasn't like anybody could ever understand what she had gone through – what she was _still_ going through – so it was okay, it didn't bother her. She had thought a lot and about everything – and she'd tried her hardest to think _rationally_, getting involved emotionally as little as possible. She'd tried to see the good parts in each and every single one of his actions – those actions that had always hurt her so much – and she'd tried to understand the bad ones, to put herself in his place and imagine what she would have done. Of course, understanding him hadn't been easy, and she truly doubted that she'd managed to interpret his actions properly.

In the end, she decided to, once again, forgive and forget. She'd done that so many times, that it became almost like a routine to her – get mad at him, glare and hiss for a few days, stop to think about it, and then forgive him, for maybe he may still be confused with what he wants.

But, this time, there were a few things that she hadn't been able to simply cast aside and forget about. She couldn't forget how jealous (_?_) he'd gotten when he saw that coat on her, and she couldn't – _never, ever_ – forget how he'd comforted her after the incident with her father. He hadn't asked for questions or explanations – he'd simply acted, and that, coming from him, was such a rare thing that it seemed almost impossible for her to forget. In fact _no_, scratch that. It didn't _seem_ impossible – it _was_ impossible.

She couldn't forget the question he'd asked her only hours after that, nor could she forget how he'd almost raped her that day. It was almost incredible, how the same man managed to act so different – it was as if there were two Sasukes: a good one and a bad one. In reality, however, there was only one, and that Sasuke was either a _very _confused person, or a selfish bastard. After what she'd just find out, however, she'd go for the latter without a second's hesitation.

_Why didn't he want her to make friends?_

That question had been swirling inside her head ever since she left the club – maybe even before that. After hours and hours spent thinking about it, however, she had finally gotten the answer – he was used to this and he hated changes. And, while he had always gave her enough freedom, it was painfully obvious that he didn't want her to haunt nightclubs and make friends with everybody – he wanted to find her home when he arrived, he wanted her to be aware of the ring on her finger.

He was _such_ a hypocrite. "Answer me, Sakura." But she was better than him in all regards, and she wasn't going to lower herself to his level.

That's why she decided to do as she was told. "I was out," she said simply. "TenTen introduced me to a bunch of girls – _I've got new friends!_" she exclaimed with a sickly sweet smile plastered on her face. "Please don't tell me that it brothers you…"

He ignored the last part of her reply. "It's almost 3am, Sakura."

"Well," the pinkette spoke, faking surprise and raising her eyebrows slightly, "I _definitely_ know how to read the clock, but thank you very much for informing me."

"Sakura." His voice was firm, stern and cold, a tiny little bit of annoyance combined with anger tainting its usual indifference and making it seem liked more of a warning than anything else. The pinkette could only guess that her not so subtle sarcasm had annoyed him to a considerable extent. "I don't want you to arrive home this late _ever_ again."

She raised a delicate pink eyebrow, defiance shining in her forest-green eyes. "You want me to arrive later, then?"

His jaw tenses visibly at her words. "Don't act stupid," he hissed, glaring hard at her.

"I'm not," she replied as innocently as she could, frowning.

"I don't want you to come home this late ever again," he spat and turned to leave. "End of story."

His words, as expected as they might have been, caused something inside her to snap, and she stopped him before he even reached the base of the stairs. "I really don't give a damn about what you want, Sasuke," she spat back, fighting against the burning sensation in her eyes. She knew her words would set him off.

As expected, he turned around only a few moments later, taking a few steps towards her. "I'm your _husband_, Sakura," he stated in an almost mocking manner. "Remember?"

"No," she breathed, shaking her head. "You're not. This," – she raised her hand and pulled her wedding ring off her finger – "is nothing. It's just a façade – you know it and I know it just as well. The only difference between us is that you don't care – you _never_ did. Not about me and not about this façade that, one way or another, must be kept." She shook her head again, trying hard to dispose of the traitorous tears that pooled into her eyes – how was she _ever_ supposed to look strong and confident when she couldn't even keep her emotions from showing? "You've _always_ liked the power this title brings to you, but you _never_ acted like a real husband. And you know what?" she questioned softly, though she didn't expect an answer.

"I'm sick of it –_ of everything_. I'm, what? – 22 already. I can't waste my life like this. I'm tired of trying to act like your wife while you act like you don't even know me; I'm tired of being the one who has to save the appearances while you live your life to the fullest and fuck every girl that jumps in your way. And, most of all, I'm tired of thinking – _of hoping_ – that this," – she gestured between the two of them – "may work someday, that you're going to wake up and realize that I'm here, that I'm your wife and that there's nothing you can do about it. I'm tired of hoping that, one day, you're going to actually _see_ me."

She closed her eyes for a brief moment and took a deep breath, one of her hands immediately coming up to wipe the tears that had escaped her closed eyelids and trailed down her cheeks. "It's over," she spoke again a few moments later and slowly approached him, stopping when she was only a few inches away. She grabbed his arm and opened his hand – failing to notice why they were both clenched tightly to fists – placing the ring there then closing it back. "I'd really appreciate it if you didn't ask for explanations from now on."

Sakura moved past him and attempted to run upstairs, wanting nothing more than to collapse on her bed and just pass out, but didn't get a chance to do so, for his words stopped her. "Sakura, I swear that – "

She refused to let him finish. "You'll _what_?" she hissed as she turned to face him once more. "Rape me? Is that what you were going to say?" she asked, raising her eyebrows. "Do it, then! After all, having you_ fuck_ me would be the only way I'd_ ever_ get to feel that I actually _have _a husband!"

Those were the last words she told him before turning around and rushing upstairs; the last sound he heard was that of her door slamming shut.

~•~

_"You know what would really go well with that pink hair of yours? Black. A little black dress – really short. 'Cause you have nice legs and you gotta show that off. And high heels, 'cause that would make them longer. Try a pair of stilettos. Or, whatever, something that would go well with the dress you choose to wear. I mean, I'm sure you know how to dress properly."_

Ino had a really good memory – that much was obvious, not only because she seemed to remember certain characteristics about her, but also because she remembered her number; the girl had asked for it the night before, but didn't write it down, saying that she already had it engraved in her mind. Sakura didn't believe her, obviously, for the blonde wasn't exactly sober at that point, but she'd been proved wrong when she'd kept her promise and called her.

_"I'm gonna wear purple. I found a gorgeous blouse in my closet – I had no idea I owned something like that, though. But I like it – it's cute. So, I'll pair it with a short, black skirt. A tight one. And, well, you get the point."_

Sakura briefly wondered if Ino and TenTen was sisters or something akin to that, because, from what she could tell, their personalities were very similar.

Sakura had had girlfriends before, with whom she used to talk about clothes and fashion and boys and_ everything_ that girls were supposed to talk about, but her best friend had always been Seiji – and Naruto, for that matter. However, she'd never done what TenTen and her friends were doing to her right now – she'd never called a person she'd just met and begun talking about every single little random thing she could find, as if she'd known that girl for all her life.

Not that it bothered her. It was just…strange. These girls were more spontaneous and friendly than any other person she'd ever met.

_"TenTen's going to wear the most gorgeous dress ever! I was with her when she bought it, it's so amazing! And Hinata something blue and shiny – speaking of blue, do you have any idea how good that woman looks with that color on? It brings out her hair, really. And her eyes. But all dark colors bring out her eyes, so that detail can be left aside."_ Was it just her, or was Ino –_ slightly_ – obsessed with clothes and fashion? _"I think Temari's planning on wearing pants, I don't know what she's thinking, really. But anyway, what are _you _going to wear?"_

"Um," the pinkette stated rather unintelligently and shifted slightly on her window seat, unsure of how to answer. It seemed like all the girls had already thought and spoken of everything, from their outfits to the club they were going to, and the truth was that she hadn't – not yet, that is. It was only 6pm, anyway. She had another two hours to think of all that. "Something small and black…?" she offered hesitantly, mentally going through her closet in order to find out whether she owned something like that or not.

Ino's answer was immediate._ "That's a great choice!"_ Tch, of course she thought it was – after all, she'd been the one to suggest it. _"And, tell me,"_ she continued a few moments later, _"is your husband coming with you?"_

The pinkette frowned lightly, the statement having yet to sink into her mind. "My hus – _Sasuke_?!" What the hell had Sasuke to do with that, with _her_? "No, of course not." After the scene last night – and after _everything_ he'd done to her – she'd be damned before she would _ever_ invite him to go out with her. "What's given you that impression?" she asked, but, almost instantly, wanted to slap herself for it. The last thing she needed at that point was to keep up the appearances by taking about her – _supposedly_ – happy marriage. Call her a coward, but she preferred to leave the subject aside for the time being.

_"I was just wondering," _she said. _"I mean, he's your husband – it's only logical that he'd want to accompany you."_ She paused for a moment, before adding: _"I think."_

Upon hearing her words, Sakura sighed quietly and shook her head. "Look, Ino," she started, "My relationship with my husband isn't what it seems like," she said, knowing that the blonde deserved her to be sincere with her – after having accepted her as their friend so quickly, they _all_ did. "One day, I'll tell you about it." But _not _right now.

_"Okaaay,"_ she replied, sounding a bit skeptical at her vague words. _"Anyway, let's forget about your husband and talk about more important things."_ The pink-haired woman really didn't know how to thank God enough for shifting Ino's focus to other things. _"We'll meet up at 8. Do you want me to come and get you?"_

"Um, no thanks. I think I'll take my car," she said, nodding in accordance to her own plan.

_"Yeah, but if you plan on getting drunk, that's not a very good option,"_ the blonde pointed out.

Sakura laughed lightly. "That coming from the person that will _surely_ get drunk," she replied, a small smirk tugging at the corners of her lips.

_"Whatever," _was her only answer and, surprisingly enough, Sakura could actually imagine her rolling her eyes. And to think she'd only known her for a few hours. _"I think you should get a cab – actually, I think we should_ all_ get a cab,"_ she corrected, causing the pinkette to laugh again.

~•~

She was laughing.

That was the only thing Sasuke became aware of as he passed by her room. He'd never heard her laugh before. Okay, maybe he had, but not like this. What he'd heard up until now were short, sarcastic laughs or fake, sad ones; what he was hearing right now was a genuine one, filled with amusement and…was that _happiness_? It could be. He couldn't know for sure, though, so he didn't want to make assumptions.

It occurred to him that it was because he'd never actually seen her _happy_ before – when he'd first met her, she seemed pretty sad with what her father was forcing her to do, and…well, I think there's no need to tell you that she'd never been happy after they got married. In that regard, she was right – and he could even admit it openly. He'd never acted like a husband should: he'd never made her happy. Not that he cared very much, but…well, he'd just realized that she was in all her rights to repeat – again, and again, and _again_ – what she'd said the night before. That was all. And it _certainly _didn't mean that he cared.

To be honest, he didn't actually understand why she felt the need to make a scene the night before; he'd never been a person that would show his affection openly, so that would have been a problem even if he _did_ love –_ err_, like her. Which he didn't. And which took us to the reason why she shouldn't have told him all those things the night before. He didn't like her and he'd made that clear from the very beginning; Sasuke truly couldn't understand why she had tried to make it work, or why she kept waiting – or, better yet, _had_ been waiting all this time for that to change.

Could it be that…she felt _something_ for him? It could…_no_, it couldn't. Definitely, she couldn't feel anything for him – she never did, and she probably never would (after how treated her, it was downright impossible for him to wake up anything else than hate in her). The only reason for which she had tried to make it work was because she'd known she only had two options: act like a stubborn bitch and leave it to be only an arranged marriage, or try to make it work and, possibly, turn it into something more. He'd known that, too. The only difference between the two of them was the fact that he'd chosen the first option.

His decision had hurt her – if that hadn't been obvious until now, it certainly was now, after the speech she'd given him the night before. It hadn't been his intention to hurt her, obviously; he'd simply done what he knew would work for him, without thinking about her thoughts and feelings. It was selfish, he knew, but it certainly didn't mean that he'd hurt her on purpose.

Anyhow, the past was the past, and it certainly was unchangeable. That didn't mean that her speech hadn't unsettled him, though. It _had_ – not only because she had actually cried, but also because of those two specific words and the ring she had placed into his hand.

The wedding ring, he could understand – after all, he'd never worn his own, so she wasn't obligated to do so, either; he_ didn't_ understand why she chose to give it to him, but he doubted that that was such an important detail. But those words? _"It's over."_ What did that mean? She couldn't divorce him – he truly hoped that she was aware of that – and it wasn't like there was something going on between the two of them, so they couldn't possibly refer to their relationship.

Maybe they referred to her behavior? It could be, for she had said that she was tired of acting like she was married when, in fact, that was just a façade. And it was okay – he could understand that, too.

…But he really hoped that, by that, she didn't mean what he thought she did.

A few moments later, however, it was obvious that, yes, she did.

"Um, no thanks. I think I'll take my car," she said, and it didn't take long for him to realize that she was probably talking with somebody on the phone. She laughed lightly a few moments later at something the person on the other line said, then spoke again: "That coming from the person that will _surely_ get drunk." A long pause followed and then he heard her laugh again. Seriously, was this person a clown? A buffoon? A _huge_ idiot? Really, he couldn't see how else he/she managed to amuse her to that extent. "Yeah, that's probably the best option." _Damn it_, even when she talked, he could hear the smile in her voice. "So, I'll see you at eight?" See _who_ at eight? "Okay. Bye!"

Was it just him, or did Sakura have a date tonight? Was that what she meant when she's said that it was over? Since she had given him her wedding ring, Sasuke had to admit that it was pretty much possible, but… Seriously, was _that_ it? _"It's over"_ meant that she was going to go on with her life without giving a damn about the fact that she was married? Well, if that was it, then it was stupid – _she _was stupid. I mean, sure, she had proved to care more about this marriage than him, but that didn't mean she'd been a saint. It didn't mean that she hadn't cheated on him before – that coat she was wrapped up into only a few days before was enough proof.

So she'd probably had dates before the scene from last night. Which meant that she needn't have told him all those things. Unless she had felt the need to do so, in order to _subtly_ let him know that she'd be cheating on him from now on. (Why she wanted him to know, he had no idea.)

_Hn_. Even so, she'd better not have a date. Like,_ really_. For her own good, she'd better not have one.

* * *

_A/N: Long chapter. Again. Really, I never thought I'd be able to update so soon and with a gigantic chapter, nonetheless. It's like...kind of weird. But weird in a good way, duh. _

_I know what I said in the last chapter's A/N _–_ I said that, in this chapter, Sakura will have fun and meet Naruto. As you can probably see, she didn't. Why? Well, I initially planned on having her doing so, but when I began writing, I realized that I wouldn't get to do so, cause if I did, the chapter would be twice its normal size. So I decided to keep those scenes for the next chapter (where's the hurry, anyway?)._

_So, yeah, you already know what will happen in the next chapter.  
More drama coming soon. (That's a warning, yes.)_

_Anyway, I truly think I deserve you to leave me a review... Got the hint? No? Well... 1 review = 1 cookie. What about now? You did, didn't you? Review, you cookie-eaters! XD_


	8. Don't Think, Just Act

_A/N: Happy New Year everybody! (I know, I know, I'm a little bit late, but whatever)._

_Thank you all for your support _–_ the response I got for the last chapter is amazing! I was _–_ and still am _–_ so happy that I almost (it was pretty damn close, though) began jumping up and down. Although that might have had something to do with the fact that I'd had a little something to drink beforehand. But, anyhow, the point is: thank you!_

_Also, I have a few things to clear up:  
1. Because Sakura has been forced to marry Sasuke, she can't exactly divorce him. It's all about façades – what would people say if they heard the two of them were divorcing? (It all comes down to something like that, anyway).  
2. Hinata and Naruto are together _–_ actually, there is some interaction between the two of them in this chapter.  
3. Naruto and Sakura didn't exchange phone numbers or anything like that. They just talked, remember?_

_And_…_well, I think that's all. If you have anymore questions, don't hesitate to ask me! (And yes, I'm aware of the fact that I've said this like_…_a million times before). Enjoy the chapter!_

* * *

_**Incomplete**  
By The Terrorist_

_**Chapter eight**  
Don't Think, Just Act_

* * *

A date. Sakura. _Seriously?_

Had he really hurt her that much?

I mean yeah, he had hurt her, but to _that_ extent? _Wait_. What extent? She was only going out, for God's sake! She was going out with _somebody_ and _something _might just happen between the two of them. Nothing more, nothing less. Sasuke truly couldn't understand why that seemed to bother him so much. After all, he'd done that, too. He'd never gone on dates before – they were unneeded, really – but he had cheated on her and there was no denying it. No, not _'cheated'_, cause there was nothing going on between the two of them – what he'd done could very well be called…well, _whatever_. The point was: he'd done what she was doing right now.

So there was no need for him to be a hypocrite and stop her from going out tonight. He wanted to do so, yes, but why should he? Why, when she obviously had the same rights as him? She was right – she didn't have to act like a married woman when he didn't act like a married man. And since nothing had _ever_ happened between them, letting (not that she needed his permission, anyway) her go out should have been an easy thing for him to do.

Surprisingly enough, it wasn't. He had no idea why, but it wasn't. And, when he heard the door of her room closing, signalizing that she would be downstairs in a matter of seconds, he found out that he was very much capable of locking her inside the house in order to stop her from going out. And all that for what?

_Fuck_. Nothing made sense at this point. _Nothing_. Not his thoughts, not his feelings, not the way he was brooding – _yes, again_ – on the couch in the living room, not the fact that he'd actually taken a day off, not her outfit, not –_ wait_. Blinking, he shook his head lightly and turned it back towards the couch opposite from his, where he had the impression that he'd seen her. Turns out, it wasn't just an impression – she really _was_ there.

She was bent slightly over the arm of the couch, searching through her bag – a bag that he had noticed there ever since he'd entered the room, but a bag that he'd refused to look into, because that was certainly _not_ the way his mother had taught him to be – for something he had yet to find out and not paying him the slightest bit of his attention.

That should have annoyed him. Really, it should have, because she could have at least spared him a look, you know? (I mean yeah, he knew she was mad, but he'd always looked at her when she appeared in his line of sight). But it didn't – and he knew exactly why: because his mind was too preoccupied with something else, something far too important (at that point), for it to be able to perceive other things (i.e. her annoying behavior). It was preoccupied with her appearance, to be more exact.

Sakura had always looked good and Sasuke had always known that. She'd always worn nice – and I guess you all know what I mean when I say _'nice'_ – clothes and he'd never failed to see that. She'd always been careful with the way she looked, styling her hair and putting on makeup even when she had no intention whatsoever of leaving the house, and Sasuke had always noticed that, too. (Heh, it was almost ridiculous how, even with such a beatif – _err_, hot wife by his side, he always ended up in other women's beds. But that's beside the point).

Despite all that, however, he'd never seen her looking like now. She was wearing a short – _way too short_ – black dress that clung to all her curves and showed off _everything_ she had; it had a low neck-line and he was under the impression that there wasn't much of her legs that was covered by it. She had covered her shoulders with a sequined blazer and nestled a long necklace between her breasts. Her hair was surprisingly straight (not that it was usually curly, but it had a habit – that, or she made it look so – of curling softly at the ends) and shiny, and she'd used a hairpin to pull the bangs – those bangs that _always_ fell into her eyes – back and make sure they wouldn't cloud her vision anymore.

Sasuke chose not to dwell on the fact that those high heels she wore made her legs look _impossibly_ long and _impossibly _good. Her eyes were more darkened than he'd ever seen them (and still, he couldn't help but admit – to himself, _obviously_ – that the dark eyeshadow looked pretty good on her, bringing out the brightness of her green orbs) and her lips were pink and shiny (and _too_ damn appealing).

_Hn_. If she thought that she would_ ever_ get out of the house looking like _that_, then she seriously needed to go see a psychologist. He'd even pay for it, only for her to go and see what was wrong with the way her brain was functioning lately.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked, making his presence known for the first time since she'd stepped inside the room. (Well, that, if you don't count the way his eyes roamed over her body as a way of him_ 'making his presence known'_.)

"Out." Her answer was immediate, short and blunt, but she didn't raise her head to look at him, a clear sign that she'd known he was there all along.

Sasuke gritted his teeth in annoyance. "_Where_?" he asked again, stressing out the word in hopes that she'd understand – or decide to actually _tell_ him exactly – what he was asking her.

At that, she raised a delicate pink eyebrow and turned her head to look at him for a brief moment, before returning her attention to the damn bag. Just how large could that bag be, anyway, and how small the object she was looking for? "To a club," she replied again – quite vaguely, he could say, but at least it gave him the information he wanted.

"With whom?"

She sighed, a soft sound filled with annoyance and exasperation. "Why are you even home today, Sasuke?" she asked frowning, as she straightened herself and finally looked at him square in the eye. Again, he gritted his teeth in an attempt to stop all the things he wanted to hiss at her from escaping – quite involuntary and stupidly – his mouth, and threw her one of his death-glares. It didn't faze her, for she was probably already used to receiving this kind of looks from him, and she even raised an eyebrow, as if silently challenging him.

"Are you avoiding my question?" he asked after a few moments of silence, his black eyes piercing through her. If she had had the guts to let him know – because he _knew_ that had been her intention – that she'd cheat on him and that she'd do it openly, without even trying to hide it from him – or from the rest of the world, for that matter – she should've been able to repeat it now, right?

"No," she scoffed, frowning lightly. "Why would I? I'm not obligated to give you an answer – you and I both know that."

"Fine," he replied just as simply and just as stubbornly; his voice sounded cold and detached, but she knew better than to let herself be fooled by the appearances – in reality, it was infused with venom and sarcasm. "But do you really think you're getting out of the house dressed like_ that_?"

The pinkette had to make a huge effort to keep herself from laughing – she allowed herself the privilege to smirk, though. "Yea, actually I do," she replied, huffing an amused breath. "And since you're here," she added a few moments later, her expression brightening as an idea popped into her head. "Tell me, what do you say?" she asked, and twirled around in a circle, giving him a full view of her outfit. "Do you think I've got any chance of getting laid tonight?"

And, just like that, the Uchiha's mouth _almost_ dropped open – and to the floor, for that matter. Did she just say what he thought she did? "You don't have to answer that if you don't want to. I'll find out on my own," she said and, with a wink, grabbed her bag and turned around, slowly – almost _torturously_ slowly – making her way out of the room.

Sasuke was _still_ too shocked to make a move to stop her.

~•~

Can you believe the nerve he had? _"Do you really thing you're getting out of the house dressed like that?"_ Seriously, what the fuck _was_ that? How dare he comment on her clothing when he had absolutely no right to do so? Besides, he'd never done so before, even though this was not the first time she'd dressed like that. Okay, that wasn't exactly true, for she'd never worn such a dress and actually gotten out of the house with only it on.

But it wasn't like he wasn't familiar with seeing her in clothes that were quite revealing. She didn't dress like a freaking prostitute, but she was a woman – she knew she had what to show off and she liked to do so. (The fact that her husband didn't give a damn about it had never mattered to her – after all, she didn't do it for him, but for herself. It was _her_ who needed to feel good and confident in her appearance).

I think there's no need to tell you guys just how much his behavior managed to irritate her. It almost – _almost_ – ruined the good mood she was in. Almost, but not quite. Because, that night, after she'd told him all she wanted – _needed_ – to, after she'd given him the ring back and, of course, after having cried, thought and questioned herself for hours…_that _night, she promised herself that she'd never let _anything_ and _anybody_ stop her from doing something she wanted to. It really didn't matter what that something was, since she had so many things lined up – all those things that had accumulated over the years in which she refused to see that, despite the fact that she was married, she still had free-will, she still had rights and control over her life.

She wanted to go to college, she wanted to graduate, get a job and have her own money; she wanted to be able to stand up on her own, to make herself known for something she was good at, and not for her family, for her husband or for the people surrounding her. She wanted to do something she liked because she liked it, because she wanted to, and not because somebody else told her. She wanted to be completely independent – she didn't want to rely on anybody. _Not anymore_. Because she was sick and tired of doing so.

She wanted to travel, meet new people and learn about new cultures; she wanted to see new places, she wanted to see the world, and she wanted to see it _herself_ – television, pictures or books, although having been good enough for her in the past, were now something she didn't even want to hear of. She wanted to form her own opinions, she wanted to be able to think and speak freely, without worrying about how others would see her after she voiced her thoughts out loud.

She wanted to do so many things…

But first, she wanted to have her fair share of fun. It had been so long since she last did it, that – she had to admit – at first, she'd been afraid that she didn't know how to do it anymore. That she didn't know how to let go anymore, how to detach herself from everything and everybody, how to concentrate on only one simple thing – _on living the moment_.

Turns out, she'd worried for nothing. Because she was as good at it as she was before.

So that night, she didn't think anymore. She simply acted. She got drunk, she danced, flirted, smiled, laughed and basically had more fun than she'd had in the last three years combined. She managed to forget about everything, about every single little problem that might have occupied her mind otherwise. And she could have sworn it was the most wonderful feeling ever.

Sure, she was well-aware of the fact that her problems would undoubtedly come back once the effects of the alcohol wore off, but, to be honest, she didn't give a damn; she didn't know why or how, but, at that point, she felt more than ready to face everything fate might have prepared for her. She probably wasn't. Actually no, scratch that – she _surely_ wasn't. But the again, who cared? It didn't matter – nothing mattered at that point. Because everything – _almost everything_ – she'd missed for the past three years was right here, with her.

And just when she thought it couldn't get any better, it did.

She was dancing, moving her body to the beat of the music, her eyes closed, her mind possibly already clouded with alcohol when she felt two strong arms encircling her waist. She gasped in shock, her eyes instantly snapping open, not having expected something like that to happen, but relaxed only a second later, leaning back into whoever was holding her right now. After all, there was nothing wrong with doing that; this was a club – everybody came here to have fun, everybody (the majority, anyway) got drunk and therefore, everybody was friendly (who cared about hidden purposes, anyway?).

_'Besides,'_ she told herself, the rational part of her reassuring the alcohol-clouded one that everything was alright, _'it isn't like someone actually cares about my actions.'_

In the past, there had been somebody who'd cared – that somebody who had caused numerous scandals on this theme, that somebody who used to remind her – _quite_ often – that she should better stick to him and to his friends; that somebody who had always been so overprotective that he'd often given up getting drunk and having fun in order to take care of her (even when that was completely unnecessary).

Surprisingly enough, as she closed her eyes again and thought back to those time, to _that_ certain person, she began feeling the familiarity of all this – of those arms around her, more specifically. She briefly wondered whether she was really that wasted. _'It could be,'_ she thought. _'I haven't had a drink in so long…'_ What could possibly feel so familiar when she hadn't been in a club in years? Nothing, she believed.

And then he did something that managed to completely change her mind. He leaned over to whisper something in her ear, his arms tightening around her the slightest bit; a small sound of agreement escaped his lips and she could hear the smile in his voice as he spoke: "This does bring back nice memories, doesn't it?" Realization dawned on her in a matter of seconds.

Gasping in surprise, she turned around, a grin immediately – and quite involuntary – spreading onto her face at the sight of him; a rather loud squeal escaped her lips – probably the alcohol, yes – and she didn't waste a second in practically jumping on him, hugging him with as much force as her small body could. "Naruto!" she squeaked as she finally pulled back, a huge grin spread onto her face. "What are you doing here?" she asked, excitement and happiness mixing together both in her voice and in her eyes.

She felt like she hadn't seen him in ages, when it had actually only been a few weeks; but then again, what they'd had back then couldn't be called a reunion – more like history repeating itself, if you asked her – so it was only normal that she was this excited. Last time she'd seen him, she'd been so sad and distracted, so keen on simply arriving home and getting under the covers of her warm, safe bed, that her mind probably hadn't even registered the fact that he was _there_, that her _best friend_ was back and that, as he'd said, he didn't have plans of leaving too soon.

Now, however, it did – it registered that and even more. "I'm here to pick up my girlfriend," he replied and she couldn't help the happy laugh that pushed past her lips.

"You have a girlfriend?" she asked, trying hard to refrain herself from jumping up and down in an excited manner – what the hell was wrong with her, anyway? "Oh my God!" she squealed upon seeing his nod, and pushed herself closer to him again, hugging his neck tightly; he laughed at her actions, both happy and relieved to see her acting so differently from the wreck she seemed to be only a few weeks ago, and returned her hug, re-wrapping his arms around her tiny waist. "That is _so_ great! I'm _so_ happy for you!"

The blonde couldn't help but laugh at her words, not quite able to contain the memories that flooded his mind at her behavior – it was as if they were sixteen again, without a care in the world, without one little responsibility placed upon their shoulders. But things had changed – he knew that; because, if they hadn't, she wouldn't have been crying back then. And he knew that she hadn't cried only because she'd had a bad day or something – the girl had had a very good reason for which she had been crying. If only he'd known what that reason was – certainly, it would have spared him from thinking so much about it.

Because, honestly, that was the only thing that kept his mind occupied for the past few days. Well that, and the fact that he constantly wanted to kick himself for not even asking for her phone number. (Not that anybody could blame him, for the sight of her tears had distracted him pretty badly). But still, he had no excuse whatsoever; something at the back of his mind should have constantly warned him to ask for phone number or for her address – which, it _didn't_.

Meeting her here had been pure luck – and he wasn't so naïve to think that luck was what it all came down to in the end (not anymore, that is).

"What happened back then, Sakura?" he asked, eager to find out. Maybe this wasn't the best moment to do something like that, but it had been bothering him for a while, and he certainly wasn't going let it go just because she looked way better right now.

She pulled back and looked up at him, confusion shining in her green orbs. "Back then when?" she asked, frowning, and it didn't take him long to realize that, _certainly_, he shouldn't have asked this now. Because she simply wasn't capable of answering his question – at this point, she probably didn't even remember what he was talking about, just like she wouldn't remember this conversation the next day. So yeah, if he wanted to have a _serious_ talk to her – and he _wanted _that, of course – he'd definitely have to wait until she was sober again.

With that thought in mind, he shook his head as a sign of dismissing the subject. "Nothing," he said. "Forget about it."

"Okay!" She _obviously_ didn't seem to mind very much. "Take me to meet your girlfriend!" she exclaimed excitedly, throwing herself in his arms again.

He laughed. "Sakura," he said, shaking his head and smiling lightly. "You're _so_ drunk."

"I know!" She sounded so absolutely happy and pleased with his statement, that he didn't know what to make out of it anymore. Her behavior, although rather familiar, was getting downright strange. "What's her name?"

It took him a while to realize whose name she wanted to find out. "Hinata's her name," he answered, frowning a little. "Why – " he started, but didn't get a chance to finish his question, for the pinkette interrupted him.

"Hinata?" If he hadn't known any better, he could have said that she'd gotten sober all of a sudden. "Long, dark hair? Light-colored eyes? Looks_ ridiculously_ good in purple?" He hesitated a little before nodding, unsure of how she seemed to describe his girlfriend perfectly – well, as perfectly as her alcohol-clouded mind could. "I know her!" she exclaimed loudly again, throwing her head back in laughter. "She's my new friend," she proclaimed proudly a few moments later, causing him to laugh again.

"Really?" he asked, amusement shining in his baby-blue eyes, to which she quickly nodded, grinning like a fool. "Can you take me to her, then?" he asked, receiving another excited nod from her in the process. She grabbed her hand and began to lead him through the crowd, stumbling lightly every five seconds or so; it was a good thing he was there to stabilize her, for she didn't seem able to keep her balance on her own. Although it seemed like she had no idea where she was going, it wasn't long until they reached their destination and, to his surprise, Naruto found out that the person the pinkette had described earlier really_ was_ his girlfriend (because yeah, he had to admit that he'd been _a little _skeptical).

Hinata looked as surprised as he had initially been, and she regarded him with a rather confused look at her eyes fell on the two of them. "Hey, look what I found!" Sakura shouted, a huge grin settling onto her face, as she gestured towards him. Despite her confusion, Hinata couldn't help but laugh at her behavior – she'd seen Temari, TenTen and Ino drunk a million times, but seeing Sakura drunk was new and – she _had_ to admit – rather entertaining for her.

You see, the good part in always being the one who, no matter what, remained sober and with her feet well-planted on the ground, was that she got to see the others drunk – and that could get incredibly amusing at times. And seeing Sakura drunk was pretty interesting – she basically acted like a five-year-old, spilled everything you wanted her to spill, laughed, smiled and had as much fun as she could.

Now, if only she could remember it afterwards…

"Do you know each other?" she questioned, frowning lightly, a small smile still present on her face.

Sakura grinned and nodded. "He's my best friend!" she exclaimed, reaching over to kiss his cheek. "My BFF!" Both Hinata and Naruto burst out laughing at that, but before any of them could have a chance to reply, someone grabbed Sakura's hand, dragging her away from them and back onto the dance-floor. _"Leave the BFFs alone, Sak!"_ Ino's voice rang through the air, managing to somehow be heard over the loud noise in the club and causing them to laugh again.

"Are you sure you want to leave them like this?" he questioned, amusement sparkling in his eyes, as he looked in the direction the two girls had disappeared into.

A look of indecision flashed upon her face for a moment, but it was gone as quickly as it came. "Yeah, they'll be okay," she said, shaking her head. "I don't know how, but they always are."

~•~

"So," the raven-haired girl started as they entered the apartment, stopping for a moment to take her jacket off as he did the same. "How come you know Sakura?" she asked curiously, turning to face him. She handed him her coat and, after hanging both of them in the closet, he turned to face her.

"Well, she'd been kind of like…" he trailed off for a moment, frowning lightly, before continuing, "my best friend." And no, he didn't hesitate because he _doubted _that – he hesitated because it was strange. It was strange how he only got to tell her about her now. After all, they had been together for a while now and even if Sakura's name had no reason to be mentioned, the pinkette had represented such an important part of his life that the fact that Hinata hadn't found out about her earlier felt…_really_ weird.

"You never told me about her," Hinata commented quietly, and he smiled at the way she seemed to have read his mind; taking her hand, he led her towards the living room, sitting down on the comfortable couch as soon as he reached it and pulling her down with him.

"I know," he nodded. "It's just that…we _kind of_ lost contact when I was forced to move away," he explained and watched as understanding dawned into her eyes. "I met her again a week or so ago, but I didn't get a chance to ask for her number or anything like that; finding her here was pure luck," he said, shrugging once again. "How do_ you_ know her?"

"TenTen introduced me to her," the girl said, then smiled. "She seems really nice –_ and_ she surely has potential of becoming Ino's new best friend." Naruto laughed at that, remembering the way a drunk Ino dragged an equally drunk Sakura away from him – yup, _definitely_, Hinata was right.

"She _is_ nice," he agreed. She had changed and he knew it – there were many things that weren't exactly clear to him at this point; but nothing – _not even time _– could have possibly changed the fact that Sakura was nice and kind to everybody (most of the times and to the majority of the people, anyway). The girl had a big heart – of that, he was sure. And he really couldn't understand how someone had managed to hurt her – I mean, why would somebody _want _to hurt her, in the first place? And where was Seiji? Wasn't he the one who was supposed to take care of her, to make sure that _nothing_ bad would ever happen to her?

Everything was _so_ confusing… First he found her soaking wet, hurrying somewhere and not paying attention to her surroundings, tears of hurt streaming from her eyes; hell, she couldn't even _talk_ about it. Then he found her in a club, totally wasted and having the fun of her life; not to mention that she was acting as if she were the happiest person on Earth, as if nothing bad had _ever _happened to her.

"What's wrong?" Her question snapped him out of his thoughts, and he turned his head to look at her; she seemed concerned, and he could see why – after all, it wasn't like him to space out like that, to think so much.

Naruto shook his head. "Nothing," he replied and smiled reassuringly. "I was just wondering…I mean, you've known her for a while, right?" he asked hopefully.

A sheepish smile appeared on her face. "For two days," she admitted and he huffed an amused breath, running a hand through his messy blonde locks. "Really, what's wrong?" she questioned once again, not recognizing that gesture as something Naruto was used to doing. "I can see something is troubling you." She paused for a moment, before adding, "And that's most definitely _not_ normal."

"It's just that…" He trailed off, sighing quietly as he realized that he couldn't find the words to explain what he was feeling and thinking. "Something's wrong with her," he finally blurted out, frowning at the way it had sounded.

Hinata's eyebrows knitted together in confusion at his sudden statement. "With Sakura?" she questioned softly, to which she received a nod from her boyfriend. "I really don't see anything wrong with her," she pointed out, shaking her head. Sakura really didn't seem to have something troubling her back at the club; in fact, she looked like she couldn't care less about the world around her, and Hinata couldn't see how that was wrong.

"I know it doesn't seem like it," he spoke again, attracting her attention. "But I'm sure of it," he stated confidently. "That day I met her again…she was crying…"

"Crying?" his girlfriend asked softly, sounding worried. "But _why?_"

He shrugged. "I don't know," he admitted. "That's what I'm trying to find out. Not that I'm having any luck with it," he added after a moment's thought, chuckling lightly.

"You know," she suddenly spoke as she thought back to a day earlier. "Now that you mentioned it, she did seem kind of…_out of place_ when I first met her. Of course," she rolled her eyes, "_anybody_ would look out of place when put next to a drunk Ino or Temari, but tonight I realized that she's much like them – that she _can be_ much like them. But…I don't know…maybe she'd simply had a bad day…" she trailed off, frowning lightly. Was it even possible for people to forget so suddenly about something that made them sad?

"No," he said, shaking his head. "Sakura's not like that – she's never been like that."

"I know she's married," she spoke after a few moments of silence, causing his head to snap up in shock. "Maybe she has problems with her husband…I mean, I don't know for sure, but it could be…" she trailed off, shrugging lightly.

"Married?" he echoed, shocked.

She nodded. "Yeah. You didn't know?" she asked, then shook her head at how stupid that sounded. "Right, you probably didn't," she laughed, nodding; he was still too shocked to answer. "But since you're trying to figure out the cause of this – whatever _'this' _means – maybe you should simply talk to her about it. I'll give you her phone number – call her, tell her to meet you somewhere and clear things up. Bring my boyfriend back, okay?"

He could only laugh and nod at her words.

* * *

_A/N: Sorry if the ending seemed rushed _–_ I had no other option but to cut it there XD._

_The reason why Sakura didn't seem surprised with the fact that Naruto and Hinata are together and why she seemed happier than she's ever been in this story is a very simple one: she was drunk (in case you guys haven't noticed).  
And I know Naruto might have seemed a little OOC, but you've gotta understand that he was worried for Sakura. (You know he always gets serious when worried about the people he cares for). _

_NEXT CHAPTER: Naruto and Sakura will talk _–_ a lot and about everything. It is possible that I'll throw some SasuSaku in there, but I'm not entirely sure about it. And a jealous Sasuke will make his appearance, once again. (Because, come on, isn't Sasuke-kun cute when you someone plays with him?)._

_Pictures of Sakura's outfit on my profile. Also, remember the clothing Ino talked about in the last chapter? Well, you'll find them there, too. Go see if you're interested!_

_Now, review please! Your cookies are waiting to be eaten! Trust me, they told me so!_


	9. I Want To Know Everything

_A/N: Sorry for the rather long wait, guys. It's just that school has started and because the end of the semester is coming soon, things are pretty hectic around here. Also, I had to focus on a stupid competition which didn't really give me much time to write. When I did have time, however, I just didn't seem to be able to get in the mood for writing. And it was so, so annoying. _

_Anyway. I'm gonna warn you about what I should have warned you from the very beginning: long A/N (I have a feeling you already noticed that). Just a few questions that needed to be answered. _

_I know that, in the last few chapters, all you got to see was Sasuke and Sakura hissing at each other, but more fluff is coming soon, I promise. Then they're going to find a reason to fight again. And then more fluff. And fight. And fluff. Because, yeah, that seems to be the way this story rolls. _

_Sasuke is slowly falling in love with her, yes. That, or he slowly starts to realize that he loves her. The first or the latter; I have a feeling that not even Sasuke knows what's going on in that head of his, anyway. Also, Sakura and Naruto have never been more than just best friends. And never will, for that matter. I can't deny I've thought about it, but then I decided to let Naruto be just a big-brother figure._

_And yeah, Sakura is still a virgin. I know, I know, I don't like it, either – the whole Sasuke-is-a-bastard-that-fucks-every-girl-in-his-way and Sakura-is-the-virgin-that-waits-for-him-to-notice-her has never sounded appealing to me (in fact, I kind of hate it) and a virgin at 22 (right?) isn't something you can find nowadays, but look at it this way:_

_1. she was pretty devastated because of her brother's death, so she didn't spend much time hanging out with her friends and meeting guys;  
2. just as she was starting to get better, her father came up with the most wonderful idea – AKA the marriage – and she became all depressed again;  
3. at the beginning, she really thought her marriage was going to work out;  
4. what's the fun in going out when you have no friends? And she couldn't have just waltz up to a guy she didn't even know and tell him to fuck her;  
5. Sasuke will fuck her before anybody else has a chance to._

_And it's necessary for my story, too – because, as I said above, Sasuke and Sakura will have sex (eventually) and he will do something afterwards; now, I need to give him a reason for which he will do that something, and I can't seem to find another reason than this other something. That something and this something will bring a little more drama to the story and won't let them get together so quickly (because, hey, where's the fun in that?). That something will be in charge of getting them together (in a rather strange way, at the beginning), too._

_I won't tell you what that something is, but feel free to try to guess. If you guess right, I'll admit it. Promise. ;)  
_

_Okay, I think I've told you enough. Bear with me – it'll be worth it, I promise._

_Anyway, this is it. Enjoy the chapter!_

_

* * *

_

_**Incomplete**  
By The Terrorist_

_**Chapter nine**  
I Want To Know Everything  
_

_

* * *

_

A certain pink haired woman stirred lightly in her sleep as her sensitive ears began picking up an annoying sound coming from somewhere close to her, and groaned quietly as it slowly began to pull her out of her unconscious state. Rolling over, she buried her face further into her soft pillow and pulled the covers over her head in an effort to block both the noise and the rather bright light that seemed to have appeared all of a sudden and out of nowhere.

Something at the back of her mind told her that the light had always been there, only that _she_ hadn't been aware of it, but she couldn't bring herself to care about it. All she wanted at that point was to go back into her dream state – although only half-conscious, she had a feeling that reality wasn't something she wanted to face anytime soon.

Luck didn't seem to be on her side, though, for the noise didn't stop – it only became louder. And _louder_. _And louder._ Until it managed to wake her enough in order for her to realize that the _'annoying noise'_ was actually a cell-phone ringing – _err_, vibrating on her nightstand. It wasn't long until the bright light began penetrating through the soft blanket that covered her, and, as she mentally cursed herself for not having closed the curtains before going to sleep, Sakura realized that, unfortunately, she was already awake.

The splitting headache that she could now feel was just another proof of that.

Groaning in dissatisfaction, the pinkette rolled over onto her back and kicked the blanket away from her face, feeling stupidly ready to face the day. However, as soon as the bright sunlight hit her sensitive eyes, she instantly regretted her decision and realized that, in fact, she wasn't _that _ready to get up. Damn those spring days. Why couldn't she have chosen to get drunk on a dark, cold, winder day?

Oh, _right_. She didn't have _who_ to get drunk with.

It was a good thing that that problem had been solved – it was about damn time, by the way – for she was as sure as heck that she didn't want last night to be the last time she'd get drunk in the following few years. Nah, that just didn't sound right anymore. Actually, now that she thought about it (which made the pain in her head intensify the slightest bit), she couldn't believe how she'd managed to stay away from a club, away from _alcohol_ for such a long time.

Not that she was an alcoholic or something like that, but she really _was_ a person that enjoyed this kind of things – as in for, _you know_, drinking, partying, having fun – and the fact that she'd managed to live _three years_ without even going out _once_ seemed almost incredible. It was almost as if somebody had taken over her mind and body and had made her lose three years of life by simply standing in the shadows and doing nothing.

It was definitely a good thing that she was now back. And that she wasn't going anywhere this time – _not again._

Now, if only the pain would suddenly vanish. Like magic, you know? And, by the way, she would be really, _really_ grateful if that freaking buzzing stopped already!

Who could it be, anyway?

Well, there was only one way to find out, wasn't it? All she had to do was roll over, grab the damn machine, answer the freaking call and send whoever was bothering her to hell and back. It was easier said than done, though – that became obvious as soon as she realized just how hard it was to actually gather the power to reach out towards the nightstand. And that wasn't necessarily because her head felt like somebody had dropped a thousand bricks on it, but also because she felt too damn lazy this morning. Which, _yeah_, could also be blamed on the hangover.

However, as soon as she realized that the buzzing had no intention of stopping anytime soon, she decided that winning against her laziness couldn't be _that_ hard, and that, if she had any intention of going back to sleep, she should get this over with.

With a groan, she rolled over, trying her hardest to ignore the protests of her body, and reached out to grab the still vibrating phone, flipping it open as soon as her hand came in contact with it. "What?" she asked groggily, not even bothering to keep the annoyance out of her voice. She wasn't so sure the person on the other line had noticed that, though, for she probably sounded sleepymore than anything else.

_"Sakura!"_ a voice she knew all-too-well exclaimed from the other line, sounding relieved and happy. _"Thank God you answered! I was starting to think that something happened to you!_" And, just like that, all of a sudden, every trace of annoyance and sleepiness disappeared from her system, replaced by happiness and – the _ever-present_ – confusion. _"Where are you?"_ he asked quickly, not giving her a chance to voice her surprise.

Not that it bothered her. _Nah_. With her head pounding so strongly, she hardly even noticed. "I'm…" she started, but ended up trailing off, her eyes instantly snapping open to study her surroundings. Yep, she could definitely recognize them – and actually _be aware of it_, that is. "I'm…at home," she finally replied, sounding quite surprised herself. Sure the possibility of _not_ being home had never passed through her mind, but neither had the possibility of how exactly she'd gotten there – because, damn, only now did she realize that she couldn't remember a thing from what had happened the night before. "What…what happened?" She wasn't so sure what she was asking of him – whether she wanted to know how she'd gotten there, or why he'd called her. Both, she supposed.

_"You tell me what happened!"_ As you can probably guess, his response didn't offer her great satisfaction, nor did it lessen her confusion. _"Why didn't you answer your phone?"_

Sakura frowned lightly, closing her eyes for a brief second, before re-opening them. "I _did_ answer," she muttered, confused.

_"Yeah, in the end!"_ he exclaimed, stressing out the last three words. _"I've been calling for…what? Half an hour!"_

She didn't know how, but Sakura could have sworn, right then and there, that he was exaggerating. After all, he always did so – or rather, _used_ to do so. "What's so important that you had to wake me up at this hour?" But since she hadn't lost the ability of getting all worked up out of everything, she could only guess that, over the years, he remained the same annoying, caring, overprotective, _always_-overreacting person.

_"I hope you're aware of the fact that it's already 11am,"_ he deadpanned from the other line, causing her to roll her eyes.

"Yes," she replied. "And I hope you're aware of the fact that my head hurts like shit right now," she countered. Sakura didn't know how her brain got to the conclusion that he was _supposed_ to know that, but she didn't actually care. At least not at that point. "I hope you're also aware that I have this sudden urge to strangle you through the phone," she continued, her eyes instantly forming a glare as she heard him laugh through the phone.

_"Yeah, I know you love me,"_ he chuckled, causing her glare to intensify, but her eyes to soften. How was that even possible, anyway? _"We gotta talk, Sak,"_ he said after a few moments of silence and, even though she could still hear the amusement latched to his voice, she realized that this was one of those times when he was actually serious. _"This is why I called – let's meet up somewhere,"_ he suggested.

Despite her confusion, the pinkette didn't hesitate one second in answering. "Fine," she _almost_ snapped. "And I'll strangle you then."

~•~

There was _so_ much confusion. There were _so_ many questions. There were _so_ many connections he couldn't make. There were _so_ many things out of place…

Naruto truly didn't know how he was supposed to deal with all this. Even if Sakura _did _give him all the answers he needed, even if she _did_ tell him all he needed to know, all he asked for, he knew that a part of this confusion would still remain there, in the back of his mind and heart. Taking into account the amount of time he'd been away from her, it was simply impossible for things to happen any other way. He'd find out everything, yes, but that didn't mean he'd be able to make all the connections – and he was well-aware of that.

The only thing he had to do now was learn how to accept it. As you can probably imagine, that wasn't such an easy thing to do. He couldn't say that the years he'd spent away from the pinkette had been horrible and that he'd give _anything _to erase them from his memory, because it certainly wasn't like that. He'd missed her, yes, and there was no denying it, but life went on, even without Sakura – or Seiji, for that matter – by his side. However, he would have really liked not to be forced to leave them behind. Because, really, they meant a lot to him.

And it wasn't like he'd expected that he'd find _everything_ as it once was, but he certainly hadn't expected this, either. She was _married?_ She was married and she hadn't mentioned it to him? _Why?_ Didn't she trust him anymore, or what? Sure, he'd been away for a really long time, but he was still her best friend – he'd _always_ be her best friend, whether she liked it or not.

_Why had she been crying back then? Had somebody hurt her? Did her parents still treat her badly?_

_Was she happy? If not, then why?_

_Where was Seiji?_

_Who was her husband? Why did he allow her to get drunk like that?_

_How come she'd only known the girls for a few days?_

So many questions were racing through his mind, his desperation growing with each and every single one of them. He needed answers and he needed them now. _Where was she?_ It seemed like God had heard him, because, right in that moment, she entered the small café he'd chosen – because she seemingly didn't give a damn about the place they'd meet up in – looking as confused as he felt. She was wearing a pair of high-heeled shoes, together with dark jeans and a dark-teal shirt; her hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail, with a few bangs falling into her eyes, which were slightly darkened by makeup._ 'Leave it to Sakura to always put her appearance first,' _he thought, shaking his head.

She looked like she'd just fallen from the sky – confusion and hesitance were written all over her face and in her actions, and they didn't disappear even as she spotted him.

"Naruto," she greeted breathlessly as she hastily took a seat opposite from him, not wasting a second before going straight to the point. "You were _there_ last night?" she asked incredulously, a frown adorning her face. "You were at the club? Did I talk to you? Hinata's your girlfriend?" All those questions flew out of her mouth in a rush, soon accompanied by a: "Or did I dream all of this?"

As you can probably imagine, he wasn't quite able to stop the chuckle from escaping his lips, even though he knew that laughing at her wasn't the best thing he could do at that point. Really, he couldn't help it. She just looked so confused and so innocent and so…well, overall, she looked _so_ damn cute, that it was simply impossible not to be amused by the whole situation. "Naruto!" she hissed, slamming her hand lightly on the table. "This is _not_ funny!"

"I know, I know," he replied, shaking his head, then chuckled again. "Sorry," he instantly said. "I just can't help it."

"_'Can't help it'_?" she snapped, glaring at him. "So I'm telling you I can't remember a damn thing from what I've done the night before – and, _fuck_, I could have done a lot of things – and you're admitting – so damn openly – that the whole situation makes you laugh?! Really, of all the things, it makes you _laugh_?!"

She was so obviously overreacting. She was snapping. She was hissing. She was glaring. Apparently, she still hated being left in the dark. She still got mad when somebody laughed at her, especially if they did it when she was trying to figure out something. Her eyes still shined every time she got angry. Arguments still seemed to come to her as if she'd prepared them beforehand. She still looked too cute for her own good.

"God, I missed you." Those words were out of his mouth before his brain ever processed the action.

But he didn't regret saying it – simply because it was true. He was never a person that enjoyed lying – or that was terribly good at doing it, at that – but this was probably the sincerest thing he'd ever told her. Despite what some people might think, Naruto _did_ use his brain, which meant that he _did_ choose his words carefully – contrary to _'popular belief'_ never in his life had he spoken without thinking of what he was saying. Except for now. And well, except for all the other times his feelings were involved – because he knew those were something he could never lie about.

As for Sakura…well, she looked pretty taken aback for a moment, probably while that sentence sunk into her brain, before her eyes softened and her posture relaxed. "I can't believe you're still doing this," she said, shaking her head lightly.

At first, he had no idea what she was talking about, but then memories of a long time ago rushed into his mind, causing a small smile to appear onto his face. He and Seiji used to always do that – they would talk and act sweetly to her when she was mad, knowing that that was the only way she'd calm down. Then she'd realize what they had done and get angry again, which would usually result in the two of them being chased around for a while, until she'd finally settle down and decide that they _'weren't worth her attention'_. Of course, Seiji would always be left with the job of dealing with her afterwards; and, Naruto didn't know how, but he would always manage to bring her back to her cheerful, happy self.

"But, yeah," Her voice brought him back from his thoughts, and he raised his head just in time to see her roll her eyes. "I missed you, too," she said, waving her hand in a sign of dismissal, as if that wasn't such an important matter. "Now," she said quickly, changing the subject, because, obviously, she didn't want to talk about her _'weakness'_ (as she'd always called it). "Were you there last night, or not?"

With a smile and after a slight shake of his head he finally answered: "Yes, Sakura. I was there last night." She opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off before she had a chance to do so, knowing exactly what her next words would be. Given the confused look on her face, it was obvious – and not only to him – that she was going to ask him a question – or more than one – regarding the night before.

So he decided to ease her task and tell her himself. "I went to pick up my girlfriend – who, yes, is Hinata – and I saw you. I tried to have a conversation with you, but I soon realized that it was impossible, for you probably didn't even know your name at that point, so I decided to let you have your fun and ask questions later." Again, she tried to speak, but he didn't let her. "No, you weren't doing anything inappropriate, and I'm sure you haven't, even after I left."

Words couldn't even begin to describe how relieved she looked. _'She must have truly believed that she'd done something stupid,'_ he thought, smiling lightly. That was probably the one and only thing Sakura feared when it came to being under the influence of alcohol: overdoing things, taking them to a level that, under normal circumstances, wouldn't even be on her mind. Of course, the two of them – AKA himself and her brother – had always taken care of that not to happen, and she'd always known it, but that didn't stop her from worrying.

"Moving on," he said, knowing that he'd given her all the answers she needed. "Do you want something to drink?"

"I think I've had enough, really," she replied, clearly amused with his question.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "I didn't mean alcohol, you know?"

"I know," she replied, sighing quietly. "But still no, thanks."

"Food?" he asked again. "You must be hungry." At least _he_ was always hungry after drinking so much; and it helped with his hangovers, too. But then again, food always helped him with _everything_, so this wasn't exactly relevant in this case.

"Really, Naruto, the last thing on my mind right now is food," she spoke, rolling her eyes. "I'm lucky enough that I'd only eaten breakfast the day before, cause if not, I'm sure I'd be hugging the toilet seat right now." She chuckled, but he really didn't seem to share her amusement.

"I think you should take better care of yourself," he stated after a few moments of silence, frowning disapprovingly. Sure, Sakura had never been a person that ate much – seemingly, she was never hungry – but, _really_, couldn't she see how dangerous that could be? Not even now, after _all_ these years?

Apparently not. "I can take care of myself, thank you very much, Mr. I'm-so-overprotective-that-I-can't-even-admit-it." Why was it that he had a feeling that that wasn't true? "Why don't you tell me why you called me here, huh?" Typical – _'let's change the subject, cause you're getting annoyingly close to being right about something I really, really have no intention whatsoever of admitting'_. "Not just to feed me, I hope," she added after a few moments, raising a delicate, pink eyebrow.

Rolling his eyes at her antics, he decided to let it go – _for now_. Of course, he would eventually have a _very_ serious conversation with her over this topic. Later, though. "You're right," he said. "I called you here cause I want to talk to you," he said, happy to have finally gotten to this; she, however, seemed pretty confused with his statement, probably not understanding what he meant by it. "I want to know _everything_," he clarified, his blue eyes meeting her green ones. "I want to know what happened while I was gone – I want to understand what exactly is going on."

She huffed an amused breath and shook her head at his words, a small, sad smile appearing onto her face. She should have known that was coming. "You're making it seem like that's so simple," she murmured, looking down. "When, in fact, it's so complicated."

"Maybe it isn't," he said. "Maybe it's just you who's making it seem so." It wouldn't be the first time she did something like that, anyway.

"No." She shook her head. "I'd like that to be true – but it's not. You've been gone for so long…" she trailed off for a moment, still not looking at him. "So many things have happened…"

"We have time, don't we?" Her head snapped up at that, as if she hadn't expected him to say something like that; reaching over the table, he grabbed her hand, action to which she responded by squeezing his own lightly. "I already told you: I'm not going anywhere this time," he said, smiling. "We have plenty of time to spend together, to catch up." And, before she even knew it, a smile made its appearance onto her face, too. Sakura really didn't know how, but Naruto had always had this gift of brightening her day with just a few words. That was probably one of the reasons for which she'd always felt so drawn to him.

Somehow, seeing that his ability hadn't worn of in time, that the effect he'd once had on her was still there, that he was there, in front of her, and that he'd just repeated that he wouldn't leave her again, gave her hope. Hope that things could still turn for the better. Hope that the decision she had taken hadn't been so…_exaggerated_. Hope that she'd been right in thinking that moving on was the best – _and only_ – option she had left. Hope that, eventually, she would be able to do so – _to move on._

Looking down, she extracted her hand from his, choosing instead to keep her hands busy by grabbing a napkin and playing with it. "I…I honestly don't even know where to start," she confessed after a few moments of silence, raising her head to look at him for a brief moment.

He shrugged. "Start with the beginning," he offered. "How come you're married?"

She knew she should have been surprised, for she was as sure as heck that she hadn't mentioned that detail to him – not that day, not the night before (although the latter was rather doubtful) – but, somehow, she wasn't. Hinata must have told him, she realized. Just like she must have been the one who'd given him her phone number. After all, who else could it have been? "That's kind of the middle, actually," she murmured, sighing quietly.

Of course, she'd always known that this conversation would have to happen, sooner or later, but that didn't mean that she was ready for it. But then again, she wasn't sure she'd ever be ready for it – not even if she had all the time in the world to prepare herself.

"Start with the middle, then," he encouraged. "Start with whatever you want to start – just talk to me."

And she did just that. She told him everything – starting with the middle. From how her father had forced her to marry Sasuke, to the living hell she was going through at the present. She told him how she'd tried to make it work, how he'd always rejected her. She told him how she didn't know who he was anymore – whether he was the cold, detached person she saw every day, or the soft, caring person she'd been lucky enough to occasionally catch a glimpse of. She told him how she'd met the girls and why exactly she'd seemed so keen on getting wasted the night before.

On the other hand, he simply shut up and listened, holding onto her every word, feeling particles of his confusion disappear with each and every single one of them.

Believe it or not, she'd actually forgotten how good it felt to talk to somebody. Over the last few years, she'd come to the conclusion that crying was the best method one could use in order to relieve some tension, to feel better; now, however, she realized that it wasn't. _Talking was_. Talking to somebody who listened, who was interested, who cared. Now _that _felt good – there was no feeling in the world that could replace it.

"That's why you were crying that day?" he asked at some point in their conversation, finally able to make the necessary connections. Or so he'd thought.

Because Sakura shook her head in denial. "No," she replied. "I mean, not _just _because of that. I…" she trailed off, shaking her head at her inability to find the right words to explain what she wanted to say. "There were just…I mean, that was the result of…of a lot of things that just…pilled together…I'd just had a fight with my father and had just realized just how much of a disaster my life was and…and well, that was it," she finished, shrugging lightly, seemingly indifferently.

"_'That was it'_?" he asked, an almost incredulous edge to his voice. "It's not that simple, Sakura!"

"I know," she replied, huffing an amused breath. "That's what I told you earlier, isn't it?"

"Sakura, where the fuck was Seiji? Where the fuck _is_ Seiji?" he asked angrily. "How – how could – _why_ did he let Satoru do something like that to you? You guys wanted to move out as soon as you turned eighteen – why the fuck are you still here? And why the fuck isn't he here with you?"

He would have continued – really, he would have, for he had a lot of questions lined up – but she stopped him before he had a chance to do so; she raised her hand and took a deep breath, before bringing it to rub her forehead slightly.

"Seiji…" she started a few moments later, without raising her head to look at him. "Seiji's gone, Naruto," she finally said, her voice a mere whisper.

"What…?" he asked confusedly, not understanding what she was talking about. _Gone?_ That could mean so many things, that he didn't even want to start thinking about all of them.

"He's dead," she managed to choke out, finally raising her head to take in his shocked expression. "Car accident," she answered his unspoken question. "Two…almost three years ago." She paused for a moment, trying her hardest to keep her tears at bay. "And it was all my fault…" she added in a whisper a few moments later, the napkin in her hands quickly becoming only a mess of shreds.

"Hey, hey, wait a minute," he said, interrupting her. "I don't know how it happened, but it certainly _wasn't_ your fault, okay?"

"Shut up," she breathed, hastily wiping a few tears that had fallen from her eyes with the back of her hand. "_I_ was the reckless one in all this – he was just the big brother that tried to make his stupid sister happy," she said, shaking her head and looking away from him.

"Exactly." His voice was soft as he spoke, reaching towards her hand in the process. "And he wouldn't like to see you like this," he told her, trying to comfort her, but really not knowing how.

"You know…" she started, sighing quietly. "That's exactly what I've been trying to tell myself ever since then – it never really worked, though."

"It's true," he said, squeezing her hand lightly.

Sakura nodded. "I know." She paused for a brief moment, before adding: "But does it really matter?"

"_Of course_ it matters!" he exclaimed, frowning lightly. "He's your brother," he said, emphasizing the last word.

"That's where you're wrong," she said, finally raising her head and looking him in the eyes. "He _isn't_ my brother – he _was_ my brother."

Naruto shook his head. "Sakura, if he were here right now, h – "

"Damn it, he isn't!" she snapped, slamming her hand on the table and yanking her other one from his grip. "He is _not_ here – not now, not ever! He's gone, okay?" she hissed lowly, before quickly standing up and making her way towards the door, ignoring the both shocked and confused expression Naruto wore. She left the small café, but stopped in front of her car, knowing perfectly well that Naruto would follow her; she hadn't meant to do that, and she was sure he was well-aware of it.

Her reaction had obviously been defensive – ever since the accident happened, she'd never talked to anybody about it, and that wasn't necessarily because she didn't want to. At first, yes, that had been the reason – it simply hurt too damn much, and she was convinced that talking about it wasn't going to help her. As time passed by, however, the _need_ of telling somebody about it grew to a considerable extent. Nobody seemed to be interested, though, and she soon gave up on the thought.

Another thing that caused her reaction was probably Naruto's will of making her understand that the accident _hadn't_ happened because of her. She had already accepted the fact that Seiji had died because of her, she had already learned how to live with it – the last thing she needed at that point was somebody barging into her life and messing everything up. Besides, he hadn't even been there. He hadn't seen what she had, he hadn't lived through what she had – he could never understand what she'd felt, what she was _still_ feeling.

Having this conversation right now was basically impossible – it was just too emotional for her. Relishing all those things and, on top of that, having to deal with Naruto's stubbornness was simply too much.

"You weren't there," she whimpered as soon as he appeared into her line of sight, leaning against her car. "You weren't there…it was horrible, Naruto," she said, her voice barely over a whisper. "I saw that car spinning towards us, I felt _our_ car spinning. I saw it hitting the side of his car. I heard him screaming _my _name over the loud crash," she sobbed, burying her face into her hands in an effort to keep him from seeing her tears. "When I – when I woke up in the hospital and was told that he didn't make it…I wanted to die, I swear…"

"Don't talk like that, Sakura," he murmured quietly, instantly enveloping her in a warm embrace.

"I want him back," she sobbed. "I want my brother back…I miss him…I miss him so, _so_ much…" she said, her hands fisting the back of his shirt as she hugged him back, and he tightened his arms around her, aware of how much she needed him at that point. The news of Seiji having died had hit him like a ton of bricks, and it probably had yet to sink into his mind, but he paid no attention to that kind of things, choosing instead to focus it all on her – after all, she was the one who needed it. _Nothing else mattered_.

Crying had never felt this good, she realized. People who said that crying was crying, no matter the circumstances, were apparently wrong. Because crying when somebody held you, when you knew that somebody cared, was so very different from crying alone. She didn't actually have an explanation for it, but it was – it _definitely _was different.

Add here the fact that this was Naruto who was holding her – and that he knew perfectly well what he could do to comfort her, to make her relax – and you can probably already understand why she instantly felt better. Her sobs died down in a matter of minutes, which was very little time, considering how she would usually spend hours crying over this.

"It's going to be okay," he said, running a hand up and down her back.

"Yeah, right." Scoffing, she pulled away, leaning against her car once more. "I'm so tired of hoping that, someday, it will," she spoke, wiping her tears with the back of her hands and shaking her head lightly.

"Oh, it will." His confident answer caused her head to snap up in shock. "Because, this time, _I_'ll be here – and I'll make sure it will," he promised, offering her a small smile, to which she couldn't help but respond with one of her own. Shaking her head, she opened her mouth to speak, but she was cut off by the sound of her phone vibrating – yes, _again_ – in her pants' pocket. Frowning lightly in confusion, she pulled it out and flipped it open, curious about whom might be calling her.

Her breath was literally knocked out of her lungs as she saw the caller ID.

* * *

_A/N: Long chapter. You know, to make up for the long wait. _

_I hope, again, that this didn't seem rushed – I tried my hardest not to make it so, but, as always, I'm not sure it worked. _

_No, Sakura not eating properly hadn't been unintentional or insignificant. Just like everything else, it will have a connection with something in the following chapters._  
_And yes, I'm kind of trying to make Naruto seem a little more mature in here. Hope it's working without making him completely OOC, though. And maybe I'll add a bit of his buffoon self in later chapters. I dunno for sure yet. We'll see. _

_Pictures of Sakura's outfit on my profile, as usual. (P.S: Don't get freaked out if the links send you to different sites or to different Flickr accounts – I'm really messy when it comes to this kind of things. Anyway, you just focus on the clothes, and not on anything else). _

_Can any of you guess who called Sakura? You'll have an extra cookie if you do. _

_Speaking of cookies, you do know what you need to do in order to get one, right? Review! ;)_


	10. Jealousy? Nah, Just Idiocy

_A/N: Quick update, isn't it? Well, I really wanted to write this – and not only because my fingers were itching to touch the keyboard, but also because, unfortunately, I won't have a chance to write anything for a week, so I didn't want to leave you with a cliff-hanger. A small vacation is coming, but I won't be home. I have an English competition coming up the next week, so I'll be out of town. I have no idea where these guys will take us, but I'm pretty sure internet and a laptop will be too much to ask for. (I'm actually quite scared that we won't have an attached bathroom in our room, which I think explains everything). _

_Anyway, I don't want to keep rambling – the point is, no updates for two weeks (max) on any of my stories.  
_

_ Moving on, I must say I'm impressed. At least half of you guessed right – Sasuke was the one calling her, indeed. (As promised, you guys will get a cookie! Just imagine me sending it to you – via telepathy). The other half either said her parents or Seiji. I must admit, I've thought about having Seiji alive in all this, but then I decided that would be really creepy and that it wouldn't fit my plot at all – since I'm trying to make this story as realistic as possible. So, sorry guys, but Seiji is dead and will remain dead. _

_As for her parents…well, I'm not sure they'll appear ever again in the story. Sasuke's parents will, though. And his brother. Soon. :)  
_

_Now, about your questions:_

_1. Yes, Sakura had a boyfriend when she was younger – I'm thinking of multiplying those, actually – and it is very much possible that he'll appear at some point in the story. And don't worry, jealous Sasuke is definitely something you won't miss for long – I already have a HUGE list with all the things that could possibly make him act like a caveman all lined up and waiting to be used._

_2. No, Sasuke doesn't have a secret girlfriend or anything like that. Having never been one for relationships, he just settles for fucking – pretty often and with whoever is in the mood (and, let's face it, girls are always in the mood with someone like him around, aren't they?). There has been a woman who's been lucky enough to have him in her bed more than once, and she'll make her appearance…well, pretty soon. In a few chapters, or so. And yes, Sakura knows about her – I'll explain this one in the actual story._

_3. I'm not sure if I'd call it an eating disorder, but Sakura will have a short-lived problem with food. __I (or Naruto) already said that she's never hungry, or something like that. Well, to be honest, that happens to me sometimes. I'm never hungry in the morning, and I usually end up eating some fruits and stuff until noon so that my stomach won't be totally empty. And if I don't think of food – or have it anywhere near me, for that matter – I don't actually realize I'm hungry. I know, I'm weird, and it's not my intention to make Sakura weird, as well, but it works well with the plot and the results of all this will probably make a lot of you happy. Why? Well, all I can tell you is that it'll cause something the majority of you guys have been asking for.  
_

_4. A confrontation between Naruto and Sasuke will eventually happen, too. I have the reason and everything __–__ I just need to get to it. And, unfortunately, I don't know how many chapters will take me in order to do so._

_Anyway, enjoy this chapter!  
_

_

* * *

_

_**Incomplete**  
By The Terrorist_

_**Chapter ten**  
Jealousy? Nah, Just Idiocy  
_

_

* * *

_

She wasn't answering. She wasn't answering and _that_ was annoying him.

At first he'd truly thought she was doing it on purpose – after all, she_ did_ seem to like doing stuff that annoyed him – but then he realized that that wasn't true. How? Well, it was pretty simple: _anybody_ could ring on their house phone, and Sakura wasn't a person that would ignore phone-calls just because she felt like it. At least that's what he thought.

Anyway, the fact remained: _she was not answering that phone_. Which could very well mean that she was not home – and that was probably what annoyed him the most. Actually no, it didn't just _'annoy'_ him – nah, that word was too indulgent to be used in a situation like this. It _angered_ him – really,_ really _badly.

Going to sleep the night before had been torture. Sasuke was certain that, although he'd tried _everything_ – from drinking tea (and a lot of Scotch, cause, over time, it had proved to be a good sleeping aid), to watching TV till his eyes burned with the need to be closed – he hadn't been able to fall asleep until the very early hours of the morning. Four, maybe five am. As you can easily guess, it hadn't been easy for him to wake up two hours – _max _– later.

And all that because of _her_.

Because he couldn't get her out of his mind, no matter how much he tried. Because he couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong. Because a foreign _something _pulsed through his veins at the thought of her_ 'date'_. Because he truly believed that her outfit was too revealing for her to get out of the house with. Because he wanted to slap himself for not having stopped her from doing so. Because he simply didn't know where she was and who she was with – and, apparently, that was more than enough to keep him awake, even when he was totally exhausted.

Geez, he'd never thought her absence would be such a great deal. Actually, had somebody told him that, he would have laughed – really,_ laughed_ – out loud and called that person an idiot. That was before, of course. Because now he knew that, for some unexplainable reason, he hated not having her around. Now that he thought about it, that statement itself was downright strange. After all, he had no guarantee that she'd been home every single night or day of these past two years. Actually no, scratch that – he _knew_ she hadn't; it was simply impossible.

So, why did he feel this way now? Why did he suddenly start caring about this kind of stuff? Why did all change and why did he _allow_ it to change, in the first place?

It was because of her, of course. _He knew that_. All he had to do now, was find out what _exactly_ was that something in her – that something that suddenly stood out so much that he couldn't ignore it anymore, that made him change his way of behaving, of seeing things.

Was it her newly-found confidence? It could be. After all, she'd never stood up for herself like that. Sure, she'd always been stubborn and opinionated, but not to _that _extent. That independence she seemed to have gained over night could very well be it, too. Or maybe it was that"it's over"that suddenly made him so…_possessive_ (because he did know that he'd been acting like a crazed caveman lately – he wasn't going to say it out loud, but there was no point in lying to himself, either). Or the "having you fuck me would be the only way I'd ever get to feel that I actually have a husband". And, of course, the "do you think I've got any chance of getting laid tonight?" couldn't be left out of this.

But, truth to be told, he didn't actually_ know_. And he didn't actually _care_, either. He'd _like _to know, yes, but that was a totally different thing. What really mattered was the result, the effect it – whatever_ 'it'_ meant – had had on him. An effect which he hated, by the way. Because it changed him beyond recognition.

Okaaay, maybe that was an exaggeration, but it definitely changed him – _a lot_. After all, when had he ever gone through so much trouble for a woman? _Never_. And he'd never thought that he ever would, either. Sure, calling to make sure she was alright was one thing, but panicking – _can you fucking imagine?_ – as he realized that he couldn't find a way to do so was another.

As I said before, because of her keeping him up till late, he'd had trouble waking up, so he hadn't gotten a chance to check whether she was home or not. If he'd done so, he would have been late for work – and he wasn't in a state so bad that he couldn't even define his priorities anymore. At least not _yet_.

_Fuck_. Did he just think that? It was fuc – _Moving on…_

_So_, as soon as he arrived at work, he closed himself in his office (as he always did, mind you) and immediately called their number – please notice the use of _'their'_ instead of _'his'_. She didn't answer. Not the first time, not the second time, not the third time…do I need to go on? Until fifteen, perhaps? I don't think so – the result was the same, anyway. _Damn it_. If somebody had at least been at home, he would have been able to shake off all these doubts. But of course, with his luck, nobody was. Shiro had quit a few weeks before, under the pretext that…well, to be honest, Sasuke didn't actually remember, and the girl who came once a week to clean up a little (and whose name Sasuke _really_ couldn't remember) wasn't there today, either.

That being said, he could only come to the conclusion that Sakura was not home. And, given the fact that there could be _multiple_ reasons for which she wasn't, it was only normal that, after all this, came the part in which he'd totally freaked out. Yes, you heard right. _Uchiha Sasuke_ freaked out – on the inside, duh – because he didn't know where_ his wife_ was. And because he might had just felt the _slightest little bit_ of worry blooming in a corner of his mind. But that's beside the point.

The point _was_: he'd finally found the solution to his problem a few minutes later.

Which was, calling her on her cell-phone, obviously. Why hadn't he thought about it before, he didn't know. But of course, he just had to realize that, in fact, he didn't even have her number.

_Two years_. Two years since they became husband and wife and he didn't even have her cell-phone number. Can you believe it? Because he really didn't. I mean, yeah, marrying hadn't been their decision, and yeah, they really didn't get along well, but _still._ They did live together and everybody else did think that they were happy. He should have had her number – he _knew_ he should have. But he didn't, and he refused to waste anymore time dwelling on that matter.

After all, who the hell cared? Not him, that was for sure. At least not about her freaking number. About the fact that she wasn't home, perhaps…well, yeah, you could say that he cared about that. But _only_ about that and _only_ because he was worried that, thanks to her reckless behavior, someone might realize that their relationship wasn't what it seemed to be.

Because of that – because of those appearances that were so important to him – he put himself in the – _downright embarrassing_ – position of asking Neji to ask his fiancée for Sakura's number. Thankfully, she – this woman who had only known her for two _days_ – had it, and Neji didn't comment on the matter as he handed the piece of paper to Sasuke. Although the Uchiha _had_ noticed the smirk present on his features. He decided to ignore it, though, for he had other more important matters to attend to.

Turned out, the _princess_ didn't want to answer her cell-phone, either. Which takes us back to the current situation and our current question: _why the fuck wasn't she answering?_

It was getting disturbing and there was no denying it. By the third call, he was ready to give up and start planning a way to make her pay for this – as in for, what she'd put him through – later. But she – _thankfully_ – answered before he had a chance to do so.

_"Hello?"_ She sounded okay, really. Her voice was a little hoarse, which immediately took him to one – _very specific_ – conclusion, but other than that, she sounded alright. Sasuke truly didn't know why his mind decided to focus more on that detail, than on the fact that she was not home and that she was sounding as if she'd been screaming all night long. His body reacted quite differently from what he'd imagined, too. Instead of jumping up from his seat and opening his mouth to yell at her, every muscle relaxed and he only opened his mouth to breath out a long sigh of relief.

Don't worry, he recovered quickly. "Where the fuck are you?" he spat, his grip on his cell-phone tightening involuntary.

_"I'm…home,"_ she replied, rather hesitantly, her voice tainted with confusion.

Sasuke gritted his teeth – why was she lying to him? It wasn't like he didn't know why _exactly_ she went out the night before, after all. "Don't fuck with me, Sakura," he hissed, his eyes immediately forming a glare and directing it to the wall in front of him. Oh, how much he'd like to have her in front of him right now – strangle her a bit, just enough to show her how much she'd annoyed him.

_"Wha – ?"_ she tried to speak, but he cut her off.

"If you were home, you would have fucking answered the phone," he said. "You didn't. Where. Are. You?"

It was a while until she answered, and he briefly wondered why the hell she was hesitating so much. He quickly shook the thought off, though, finding the answer quite obvious. Sure, he wouldn't have acted that way if she had caught him cheating on her, or if she had _realized _that he was cheating on her – which she_ kind of _had, a long time ago – but this was Sakura we're talking about. She wasn't him and, despite this confidence she had been displaying during the past few days, Sasuke knew she still lacked the capability of lying.

_"I'm close to home,"_ she finally replied. _"I'm at a nearby café, with a friend."_

_'Nearby café my ass,'_ he thought as his glare intensified the slightest bit._ 'You're probably in bed with the man you've fucked all night, and you dare say to me that you're at a café, with a friend'. _Sasuke still couldn't guess what exactly was in this whole scenario that made him so mad.

Probably the fact that she'd actually tried to lie to him. Because he'd never done that – and if she claimed to have the same rights as him, then she could at least face the fact that she had the same obligations, as well. And it wasn't like he considered being sincere an obligation, but he really didn't like it when people lied – or rather_ tried to_ lie to him. It was simply strange, and it set him off. Yeah, that had to be it. What else could it be, anyway?

"Listen, Sakura," he hissed through the receiver. "I'm coming home in two hours and I expect you to be there. If not, you'll be sorry, I promise."

To be honest, even as he ended the call and slammed the phone on his desk, Sasuke _still _didn't know why he'd told her that. Really, he didn't. But then again, he had two hours to sort it out, didn't he?

~•~

It was probably the millionth time that week that she found herself wondering just what the hell his problem was. Needless to say, it was getting annoying by now.

They had been married for two years, and he had never showed_ any_ kind of interest in what she did – not that she'd actuallydone something more than spending money and wasting time during these two years, but that's beside the point.

The fact – or question – remained, nonetheless: _what the hell was wrong with him?_ Over the last few weeks, he'd been acting really weird, as if he wanted nothing more but to control her, to dominate her. I mean, yeah, she was well-aware of the fact that she'd acted differently, too, that she'd actually given him a reason – or_ more _than one – to behave like that, but too much was too much, and he was definitely exaggerating.

Sasuke had never called her. Never, _ever._ Up until now, Sakura had had a feeling he didn't even know her number – at least he'd never asked for it. But then again, Sasuke really didn't seem like the type of person that would ask a woman (!) for her phone number, much less her (because, you know, she _was_ his wife).

He'd never talked that way to her, either. Sure, he'd always yelled and sworn at her – and she did, too, because that was the only way the two of them could actually have a conversation – but he'd never sounded so…so _angry_, so _revolted_ before. Usually, he was really careful with hiding his emotions – even when fighting – so being able to tell what he was feeling – and through the phone, no less – was…for the lack of a better word, _weird_.

So, yeah, her brain could very well be the one with a problem here – a problem of absorbing information. Sakura was quite sure that wasn't it, but, even if it was, Sakura knew that nobody could blame her – after all, she was so used to not being able to get a reaction out of Sasuke, that it was only normal for all this to seem new and downright strange to her.

That didn't change the fact that he'd annoyed her. _Fuck no_. Nothing could change that – he could have behaved far more out of character, he could have done whatever he wanted, but he'd still yelled, sworn and acted like he freaking owned her or something. (The latter being the worst of it all, obviously.)

Seriously, it made her sadness disappear in less than five seconds. For that, she was actually quite grateful. But she definitely wasn't about to admit it. All she wanted to do at that point was go home and kill him. But since that wouldn't be possible, she decided she would settle for a kick in the nuts. _This time_. Because, if he continued like that, Sakura wasn't sure she'd be able to stop herself from lunging for his throat.

Naruto seemed quite freaked out when she groaned out loud and slammed her hand down onto the hood of her car. He gave her a – _very_ – puzzled look, to which she only responded with another cry of frustration. That only succeeded in amusing him, of course, and although he had no idea what could have possible happened, he immediately burst into laughter.

"Who was that?" he asked, amusement tainting his voice.

"_That_," she started, gritting her teeth at the mere thought of mentioning his name. "That was the biggest jerk I have ever met," she growled quietly. "But I'm going to go home and he's going to have to listen to me. And I'll murder him, I swear."

After which she climbed into her car, slammed the door behind her and drove home. Not before properly saying goodbye to Naruto and promising that she'd call him one of these days, though. She arrived to her destination much faster than usual, which was surprising, to some extent, since she'd never liked driving fast – not after that…_incident_. Sakura could only guess that the anger she felt towards Sasuke was currently clouding all her senses (and that maybe that wasn't such a bad thing, after all). She quickly unlocked the front door and stepped inside, instantly rushing to the living room and throwing her bag on the couch; of course, the first thing she did was grab the phone to check if his accusation really did have a foundation.

Turned out, it did – _multiple ones_. "Fifteen missed calls?" she echoed disbelievingly, her eyes fixed on the small screen of the phone clutched in her hand.

To be honest, she hadn't expected to find any. Okay, maybe she had expected one call, for it certainly wasn't like Sasuke to start an argument without a reason, but_ fifteen_? No, that was a number that would have _never_ crossed her mind. But it seemed like he was more serious about this thing than she had initially thought. Why? She didn't know, and she was sure he wouldn't give her the answer to that question, even if she_ did_ ask him. Which she wouldn't – she wouldn't let him see that she was interested in his actions. _Never again_. After all, every time she'd done that, one way or another, she ended up getting hurt. And she didn't need that – especially not at this point.

Sure, he'd hurt her again – that was inevitable, considering the fact that neither of them had any intention of dying anytime soon – but Sakura had made a point in avoiding that for as long as possible. She'd also made a point in hurting him, too, in letting him taste a bit of his own medicine, but she wasn't so sure that that was even possible. After all, if it weren't for the fact that nobody was able to live without that organ, the pinkette would say that he didn't have a heart. He did, though. She supposed he just didn't know how to use it – or didn't _want _to use it.

But that's beside the point. After all, his heart – or hers, for that matter – had nothing to do with this marriage of theirs.

With a sigh, Sakura bent down and placed the phone back in its original place, before straightening herself again; stealing a quick look at the clock that hung above the fireplace, she realized that there was still an hour (even more than that) until her husband said he'd be home. Which meant that she had enough time to have a shower, dress into something comfortable…maybe even mediate a little bit – you know, just enough to make sure that she wouldn't have an impulse to stab him with a knife the moment he entered the house.

A smirk formed on her face as that idea crossed her mind. _'I bet he wouldn't see that one coming,'_ she thought, her green eyes sparkling with mischief. But before that thought could develop into something more, she realized that nothing like that was possible.

Sakura pouted. Life was _so_ unfair.

~•~

A few hours later (more than two, that was for sure), Sasuke showed up, making his presence known by slamming – quite intentionally – the front door. Sakura was upstairs, in her room, curled up on the window seat when he did so, and she couldn't help but roll her eyes at his obvious display of anger.

Sometimes, he acted like _such_ a child.

Knowing that the first thing he'd do was try to find her, she sighed and shifted slightly, moving her legs from underneath her and stretching them out in front of her; she was up on her feet just as he entered the room, looking as if he wanted nothing more but to kill her in that very moment.

_'Well, that makes two of us,' _she thought bitterly, inwardly shaking her head. "You know," she started, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning her weight onto her right leg. "I actually thought you knew how to knock." She sighed dramatically, shaking her head in a mocking manner. "At least that would have made you the slightest little bit different from the average caveman," she added a few moments later. "I guess I was wrong, wasn't I?"

Despite the obvious purpose of her words, Sasuke's only reaction was a glare – that famous death-glare of his. "Where were you?" he asked, his black eyes piercing through her. Straightforward, as usual. It was obvious that he had no intention whatsoever of beating around the bush much – when did he _ever_ do that, anyway?

"Well, hello to you, too." But Sakura really couldn't care less about that.

He gritted his teeth, already annoyed. "Don't fuck with me, Sakura," he hissed. He really didn't have time for her games right now, even though he knew he should have expected something like that from her. "Where. Were. You?"

With a sigh, Sakura uncrossed her arms and let them fall by her sides, before finally choosing to answer his question: "I was at a café, with a friend," she replied. "I already told you that."

But she failed to notice that that wasn't the answer he was searching for, and _he_ failed to notice the sincerity and resignation she had spoken with. "What the fuck is your problem?" He didn't know the answer to that question, and he wasn't sure he cared enough in order to try and find out – all he knew (and needed to know, for that matter) was that she was being annoying on purpose and that he was fucking tired of her rebellion.

"_My_ problem?" she asked disbelievingly, frowning in confusion. "_Mine_?" she asked again, pointing towards her. "You're the only one here who was one, Sasuke, and you fucking know it!"

"The only problem I have is that my wife is spending her nights in clubs, that mornings find her in the beds of some men she probably doesn't even know, and that she doesn't even have the fucking courage to admit it to me!" he shouted, unconsciously moving one step closer to her.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" she hissed, an almost incredulous edge to her voice. "Where the fuck did you get that idea from?"

"You seriously don't realize?" he hissed back, his glare intensifying the slightest bit. Was she playing stupid? Even during moments like these, her main purpose was _still _to annoy him?

"No!" she exclaimed. "I came home last night – fine, I don't remember how _exactly_ that happened, but I did, and I'm fucking sure that I didn't stop on my way home to fuck _anybody_!" she yelled, anger bubbling in her system. Must he always make assumptions like that, without having any foundation whatsoever?

"No shit." Yes, apparently, he did. He was _that _stupid.

"I cannot believe this," she breathed, turning her back to him and taking a few steps forward, before turning around to face him once more, while shaking her head at his stubbornness.

"You didn't answer the phone!" he pointing out – by shouting, _obviously_.

"Because I was _not _home!" she shouted back.

"See?"

"Fucking hell, Sasuke, just because I left in the morning doesn't mean I didn't sleep in _MY _own bed, in _MY_ own house!"

"_YOUR_ house?" he asked, an eyebrow raised, not quite able to let that slide.

_See?_ Childish. "Whatever," Sakura muttered, rolling her eyes.

"No, it's _not_ wha – " he tried to speak, but she cut him off.

"Doesn't it seem to you that we're getting off topic here?" she inquired, raising a delicate, pink eyebrow.

Sasuke shrugged indifferently. "Maybe. Bu – "

"You know what?" she interrupted him again. "Let's just end this."

It didn't take him long to realize what exactly she meant by that. Needless to say, he didn't agree with her – he had yet to get all the information he wanted. "End it?" he echoed in a low hiss. "You're kidding, right?" Maybe she wasn't at all interested in having this conversation, but he was, and that was basically _all _that mattered.

"Fuck, Sasuke, you need to see a psychologist – you're aware of that, aren't you?" she asked, but was rudely ignore by the Uchiha, who now seemed to have regained his straightforwardness.

"Who is he?" he asked, taking another step forward.

A small, confused frown appeared onto her features. "Huh?" she uttered unintelligently, her brain having trouble processing his question.

"Who. Is. He?" he repeated, not even bothering to keep the anger out of his voice.

"Who is _'he'_?" she asked innocently, but only received a glare in return. "What the fuck are you talking about?" To say that the frustration was noticeable in her voice would be an understatement. _Everything_ about her screamed that she was frustrated and confused – her posture, her expression, her eyes, her tone.

The Uchiha took a deep breath, trying his hardest to calm down. "You went out last night," he said, slowly. "With whom?"

She was shocked, to say at least. Of all the things he could have asked her, she would have never thought of that. She wasn't sure what that statement triggered inside her, she wasn't sure what kind of effect it had on her – all she knew was that it opened her eyes, that it made her notice a couple of things that, otherwise, she would have _never_ noticed while engaged in an argument with him.

Like the tone of his voice, for example: he was angry – that much was obvious – but there was something else to it, something that showed her that he was angry for a reason – and a very good one, at that. His whole body was tense, and it seemed like he was holding his breath in anticipation for her answer. His eyes were hard and angry, as per usual, but there was something more to them, as well. If you looked carefully, you could notice the…she_ really_ didn't want to call it desperation, but she was unable to find a better word, hidden underneath that ever-present coldness.

All that took her to one conclusion: "Are you jealous, Sasuke?" she asked, her voice soft, even though her expression remained unchanged. It explained everything and there was no denying it, but she wasn't about to take a chance and show him just how giddy (and again, she wasn't sure that was the right word) she felt thanks to it. With Sasuke, you never knew.

Sasuke didn't know why it took him so long to reply to her question. It was a simple one, after all, and, the way he saw it, the answer was downright obvious. "Because of_ you_?" he asked, his voice a lot quieter than it had been a few minutes ago, but still as harsh. "In your _wildest_ dreams, perhaps."

She had done the right thing in hiding her feelings concerning his so called jealousy, it seemed. "Does this," she started, gesturing with her hands around her, "look like one of my wildest dreams to you?" she asked, her glare returning at full-force. She was disappointed, yes, and not necessarily because he _wasn't _jealous – more because of the way he had said that, as if she was way too small and insignificant to even deserve his _attention_ – but then again, when wasn't she?

When Sasuke was involved, she was always meant to get disappointed, and she had learned to both accept it and to deal with it.

"I don't know," he replied. "I can't fucking read minds."

None of them noticed just how close they were at this point – only a few inches separated their faces from touching. But then again, none of them had actually noticed when or how they had gotten this close, having been too caught up in their argument to notice what was happening around them. "I'll tell you then: it's not," she said, her breath fanning against his skin.

"Good for you," was his only reply.

"And for your information," she spoke again, moving even closer to him. "Last night, I went out with the girls, not with a_ 'he'_."

Sasuke blinked. Okay, so maybe he had overreacted the slightest little bit. Maybe he should have investigated a bit before jumping to conclusions. But still, he might have not been _completely _wrong, for that didn't mean that… "I'll take you that you found a man to fuck anyway, then?"

"What's with you and fucking, huh?" she asked disbelievingly, finally stepping away from him. "Does you life revolve around that, or what?" The only thing she got in response to her question was a glare, which she guessed to be the equivalent of a negative answer. "No?" she asked with fake innocence, pretending to be surprised. "You could have fooled me, you know? After all, all you ever do nowadays is search for a pretext to fuck me," she spat. "Rape me, show me that you're dominant, _whatever_ you want to call it!" she added upon seeing the look he gave her.

Sasuke huffed a seemingly amused breath. "I don't know about you, but I'd better die rather than fuck _you_!" he spat, glaring.

The pinkette didn't waste one second in returning the glare at full-force. "My thoughts exactly," she spat back.

"Fine!" he exclaimed, before turning around and making his way out of the room.

"Perfect!" she yelled after him, just as the door slammed shut behind him. "_Ugh_!" she screamed in frustration as she flopped down onto her bed and grabbed a nearby pillow, hastily throwing it on the ground. Crossing her arms over her chest, she straightened her back and proceeded to glare intensely at the wall in front of her, as if it would crumble at her silent demand.

Lost in her thoughts – in her murderous thoughts directed to a certain person – Sakura failed to realize that this was the first time an argument between the two of them ended without her crying because of it.

* * *

_A/N: Lame ending, I know. This was the first and only idea I had about how to end this, despite the fact that I spent a couple of minutes (cause I couldn't afford more than that) thinking about it. Anyway, it's the content that actually matters, isn't it?_

_Now, the reason for which Sakura hadn't answered his first calls on her cell-phone was the simple fact that she'd been way too shocked. I decided not to dwell on that too much, for it was pretty obvious (I guess) and I had other, more important things to focus on._

_Anyway, this was it: chapter ten. I really hope it was good enough to leave you guys satisfied. _

_Review and you'll get a cookie!  
See you in two weeks! :)_


	11. Stay

_A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for the long wait – you already know the reason, so I won't waste time with repeating it._

_The way I see it, there are about…well, I don't know for sure, but let's say 26-27 chapters left. I've recently outlined some kind of plan for this story – you know, I just wrote down the main idea in each chapter – but it's hard to predict how things will go, since I almost always end up writing too many details or dwelling too much on a certain thing. That's just the way I am and I seriously doubt there's anything you guys can do about it._

_As for the number of chapters left until they finally get together, I'll take a chance and say 8. Remember, though, after that, they will fight again – because Sasuke is stupid and Sakura is stubborn. Then they'll make up and fight again – and again, and again – unconsciously taking baby-steps to what will eventually become a steady relationship. I know, I know, I'm a sucker for drama – so what, sue me!_

_And the only reason for which Sasuke hasn't touched her yet is because he's a stubborn asshole. The marriage hasn't been his choice, and he sometimes finds himself blaming Sakura for it, even though he's well aware of the fact that none of this is her fault; he just needs someone who he can make pay for all of this, and she seems to be the perfect person for that. Also, he's trying to convince himself that he doesn't want anything to do with her, that he hates her really, really badly, and in order to do that, he has to keep himself as far as possible from her. Which is why he hasn't intiated anything remotely sexual – yet. (Don't worry, though, you won't have to wait long until he does). _

_Also, I wanted to tell you about my most recent plan concerning fanfiction: I currently have two stories that I've called my 'main priorities', so I will try to update one of them every week. Which means that I'll update this one every two weeks. I promise I will stick to this posting schedule – and when (if) I don't manage to do so, it will be because I have a very, very good reason (and that doesn't include the standard 'I had no inspiration' or 'I couldn't get in the mood to write'). _

_Anyway, this is it: chapter eleven. Enjoy!_

* * *

_**Incomplete**__  
By The terrorist_

_**Chapter eleven:  
**Stay_

* * *

"_Sak, can you believe there are like, three more days 'till we leave to New York?"_ TenTen's excited voice rang through the cell-phone, bringing a small smile to Sakura's face.

The pinkette was lazily sprawled onto her stomach, on the soft mattress of her king-sized bed, with her newest acquisition – AKA, a magazine – resting in front of her and her phone being held at her ear. Her hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail, her face clear of any makeup whatsoever; her only clothing consisted of a simple white shirt and a pair of purple sweatpants that ended under her knees.

After her fight with her husband, Sakura decided that a hot, relaxing bath was exactly what she needed, even though she'd just taken a shower; it sounded strange, yes, but she knew that, if she didn't do something to calm herself down anytime soon, she would truly run after him and stab him. So, after soaking in the tub for at least two hours, the pink-haired woman got out and took her time in lazily drying both her body and her hair; then she changed into yet another set of clothes, grabbed the magazine and flopped onto her bed.

While she was absentmindedly flipping through the pages – and silently contemplating what she could do to get back at Sasuke for everything he'd said to her – her phone rang, the caller ID indicating TenTen.

All this led us to the current situation – her flipping through the magazine, thinking about her revenge, half-listening to her friend and uttering small answers from time to time. And yes, Sakura knew she should concentrate on what exactly the girl was saying to her, but it wasn't like she didn't want to – she did, only that she couldn't. Her mind was just too busy at that point – a thing which was getting rather annoying, by the way.

"_I just can't wait!"_

"I had a feeling you couldn't," the pinkette replied, still smiling slightly. Stressed or not, TenTen's enthusiasm was almost palpable, and Sakura really _did_ feel happy for her. It wasn't everyday that a woman got married, and she supposed that the days – weeks, months, years – leading up to it were as important as the event itself. She couldn't know for sure, for she hadn't really felt all that, but TenTen was rather easy to read, so Sakura was almost certain that she was right. Not that that was such an important detail. Like I said before, her mind just seemed to like wandering far,_ far_ away today.

"_Have you been there before?"_ the girl asked, snapping her out of her thoughts.

Sakura blinked, having problems for a moment with understanding what she was referring at. "Oh, to New York?" she inquired as realization finally dawned on her. "No, not really. Have you?"

"_Yeah," _she answered. _"I went there to choose my wedding dress, but I didn't really have time to go out and all that."_ Her voice had a small hint of disappointment in it, and it didn't take long for Sakura to realize what exactly she'd meant by 'going out'. You know, the standard things – shopping, clubs and Times Square. Of that, she was sure.

What she couldn't understand, however, was why TenTen – she, of all the people – wasn't able to make some time to…well, _visit the surroundings._ "Why not?"

"_Well, I could only stay there for two days, cause I had other things to take care of,"_ she replied. _"I initially thought that two days would be more than enough, but choosing my wedding dress turned out not to be as simple as I'd imagined,"_ she explained, and, even though her words were followed by a sigh of exasperation, Sakura could tell that she was actually smiling.

"I suppose it was worth it, wasn't it?" she asked softly, a small smile stretching onto her face, as well.

The answer was immediate. _"Definitely,"_ TenTen spoke with no hint of hesitation whatsoever. _"It was so strange at first, cause I really had no idea what I was actually looking for – I think I tried on all types of dresses, of all colors and all materials known on this planet."_ She laughed lightly at the memory. _"The attendants there must have been very, very happy when I left." _This time, it was Sakura who laughed. Although she'd only known her for a few days, the pinkette knew for a fact that TenTen could be really annoying sometimes – intentionally or not, it didn't really matter.

"_Don't laugh, Sakura,"_ she said, sounding quite amused herself. _"I'm serious. They looked really happy when I finally found what I was looking for."_ Well, of course they did. Those attendants probably prayed to God every night for her to find a dress and leave them the hell alone.

"I thought you _didn't_ know what you were looking for," Sakura teased, raising an eyebrow.

"_I didn't – at least I wasn't aware of it,"_ the girl said. _"But when I tried that dress on, I just knew it was the right one. I…" _she trailed off for a moment, obviously struggling to find the right words. _"I _really _don't know how to describe the sensation," _she finally admitted. _"Anyway, I'm sure you understand me."_

At that, Sakura's lips curled into a small, sad smile. "I guess…" she murmured quietly, not really meant for the brunette to hear.

She did, though. _"You 'guess'?" _she asked skeptically, and Sakura could almost see her eyebrow raising.

"TenTen," she sighed, shaking her head slightly. "When I said I didn't plan my wedding, I wasn't kidding."

The other woman was silent for a few moments – definitely longer than necessary – before finally replying in an incredulous voice: _"Are you trying to tell me that you didn't even get to choose your wedding dress?"_

"Kind of, yes," was her only answer.

"_What the…?"_ The pinkette almost laughed at that. As far as she knew, it was pretty rare for TenTen to be at a loss of words, especially when it came to swearing, so she could only guess that she'd really managed to shock her. She couldn't see why or how, though, for the woman already knew everything about her wedding and such. Okay, maybe not 'everything', but she did know the essentials, and that should be more than enough, right? _"But Sakura! It was _your_ wedding!"_ But, apparently, it wasn't.

The pinkette rolled her eyes. "I'm sure you're aware of the circumstances I got married in, TenTen," she said.

"_Yes, but a wedding is a wedding, no matter what"_ she said. _"It doesn't – or rather, it shouldn't – happen twice."_ Yes, Sakura knew that – in her case, it was pretty obvious, since she would have divorced Sasuke a long time ago, had she had a chance to do so. _"You should have stood up for yourself and demanded they let you choose your dress."_ She really didn't get it, did she? _"Seriously."_ Nope, she didn't.

"It's not like they didn't let me, TenTen," she replied, her voice soft and quiet. "I just didn't care."

And it was true. Although it had always been clear to her that everything _could_ work out just fine and that she would try her hardest to influence things in a way that would steer them in the right direction, that didn't change the fact that Sakura really didn't want to get married in those circumstances.

Just like any other woman, she had often thought of what the perfect wedding would look like for her – the wedding and everything it included: the time, the location, the dress, the guests, the future husband… When she realized that nothing – absolutely _nothing –_ was going to be like she'd dreamed of, Sakura lost any interest in getting involved in the planning of the 'big event'. After all, if someone got to choose the man she would spend the rest of her life with, that someone could also make decisions regarding the other aspects included into the whole matter.

It wasn't her father who had done that, though, and it wasn't her mother, either – although the latter had struggled hard to seem interested in the event ('struggled' being the operative word here, of course). It was Sasuke's mother – Mikoto, if she remembered correctly. She was the one who had planned everything – from the location and the guests, to Sakura's appearance.

The woman had been really nice and understanding about the whole thing; Sakura could tell that she wasn't comfortable with the idea of her son marrying a woman he barely knew, but she'd never voiced it, and she was grateful for that – Sasuke had been cold enough to her, and she didn't even want to think about what she would have done if his family had been just as hostile towards their marriage as him.

She had asked her, more than once, if she didn't want to get a more active role into this whole thing, if she didn't want to make _at least_ a few decisions, but Sakura had always said no, even when it came to choosing her dress. To be honest, for a moment, she'd regretted having refused, but not because this was her _wedding dress_, but rather because she'd always been picky when it came to clothes, so she'd been slightly afraid that she wouldn't like what Mikoto would bring to her.

As soon as she'd gotten to see the dress, however, all those fears and insecurities had seemed really stupid – _it was perfect._ Maybe it hadn't been the style she would have gone for, but it had been perfect, nonetheless. White, sheath gown with sweetheart neckline and a plunging low back, with four inter-crossing straps; covered in embellished lace and full of tiny little details that Sakura couldn't have loved more.

What more could she have possibly asked for?

"I felt like my whole life was ending right in front of my eyes and I couldn't do a damn thing about it – the _last_ thing on my mind at that point was choosing my wedding dress."

A normal wedding, perhaps.

"_I just can't possibly understand how you could let anybody else make that decision for you,"_ TenTen breathed, sounding downright horrified with the prospect.

Sakura scoffed. "Well, it isn't like anybody can possibly understand what I've been through, either." At that, the other woman didn't answer, probably because she couldn't formulate a reply, and the pinkette decided that she didn't want to continue talking about this. "Let's change topics, okay?" She _really_ wasn't comfortable with discussing her marriage issues with anybody, especially because she was well-aware of the fact that they had no solutions whatsoever. "What are we going to do in New York, huh?"

As soon as those words were out of her mouth, the change in the mood was obvious. _"Everything!"_ the girl exclaimed. _"We'll go clubbing and shopping and we'll talk a lot and we'll have _so_ much fun! It will be amazing and you'll love it, I promise!"_

"That's not exactly a revelation," Sakura said, rolling her eyes. "I was hoping for a more details answer. Like a schedule, for example." She paused for a moment, before continuing: "Do we even _have_ one?" She'd always been rather organized, so it seemed normal to her that they _should _have one – if not a schedule, then at least a basic idea for what they would be doing each and every day. But TenTen and the girls seemed to be _anything_ but organized, so Sakura knew, from the moment she'd asked, that her question was rather stupid.

"_That's a boring thing to talk about on the phone, Sak."_ Yup, she'd been right – TenTen probably didn't even know what a 'schedule' meant. But she was the bride and this was _her_ journey, so things had to be done her way – Sakura didn't really have a say in all this.

"Well…um, sorry?" she offered lamely, causing the brunette to chuckle.

"_Forget about it,"_ she said in a dismissive tone. _"You're right, anyway – those details are _kind of_ important, after all."_ She sighed softly and remained quiet for a moment, as she tried to put a plan together. _"Let's just meet up somewhere – all of us – so that we can go through them already."_

Sasuke would be _so _angry if she accepted TenTen's invitation.

That was the first thing that popped into her head as soon as her friend's words sunk into her brain. The fact that Sasuke was still on her mind, even after she'd engrossed herself into a rather interesting conversation, was weird and annoying, but Sakura couldn't deny that she liked the outcome it provided her with. It seemed like the perfect thing to do in order to annoy him, to make him pay for how he'd treated her only hours before – like a little revenge, you know?

And if she _somehow_ managed to sneak in a few words about how she _wasn't_ going out with the girls, but with somebody else (because, yes, she'd realized that her decision of telling him that, last night, she hadn't actually been on a date had been reckless and stupid), then things would unavoidably get even better.

A part of her rolled her eyes and told her to stop being stupid, for she didn't even know whether Sasuke was still home; after all, she had closed herself in the bathroom after their _little argument_, so her husband could have very well gone back to work in the meantime. But Sakura wasted no time in kicking that side of her and burying it into the back of her mind – she _could_ be right, yes, but she could also _not_ be right.

And this was _definitely_ worth a try. Besides, she was sure that he'd get angry for even not finding her home, so flaunting it in his face was, to a certain degree, rather irrelevant. "Okay," Sakura said, nodding slightly even though TenTen couldn't see her. "Just tell me when and where."

"_I guess sometime tonight would be the best."_ Hell yes, it would. She could almost _see_ him gritting his teeth in annoyance, could almost _hear_ him hissing nasty things at her, could almost _feel_ the anger radiating off him – and she knew she'd love every second of it. _"But I'm not really sure when…" _The later, the better, right? _"Let me just call the girls really quick and I'll get back at you, 'kay?"_

"Aha," Sakura answered, before disconnecting the call and rolling onto her back. With a wicked smirk plastered onto her face, she pushed herself into a sitting position and flung her legs over the edge of the bed, hoping off it and beginning to cross the room in only a few moments. She felt a slight dizziness start to form at the back of her mind, but she ignored it, knowing that it was most likely caused by her quick movements.

Who the hell cared, anyway? Not her and definitely not at that point.

~•~

She was the most annoying being he'd ever met, Sasuke decided. She was just…gah, he couldn't even find the right words to describe her – and that was much to say, considering that he was an Uchiha (they're never at a loss of words, I mean).

She didn't even notice him (that, or she chose to ignore him) when she came downstairs, even though the door of his office was left wide open (precisely for him to be able to study her actions, mind you); she lazily made her way to the kitchen, coming back from there with a glass of orange juice in her hand. For a moment, Sasuke thought she was going to go back to her room to do whatever she'd been doing up until this point, but he was proved wrong only a few moments later, when her cell-phone rang.

He almost rolled his eyes at that. Leave it to Sakura to think of this 'journey' – as in for, the bedroom-kitchen one – as a very long, _exhausting_ one that required her to have her phone with her.

Then he realized that she might as well have been waiting for a call, and the urge to roll his eyes at her antics instantly disappeared. I think there's no need for me to tell you that, from the point on, he started to _– very carefully_ – listen in to her conversation with whoever was on the other line. Of course, he knew it wasn't a guy – she'd made that clear earlier that day – but he couldn't be _completely_ sure about it. For all he knew, she might have lied.

Sasuke _still_ had no idea why the thought of her having somebody else besides him – okay, the thought of her having somebody else, _period_, since he'd never actually _been_ there for her, woke up _that_ kind of feelings inside him, but he wasn't about to stay and think about it now. He had other matters to attend do, and, to be honest, he wasn't so sure he would like the answer, in the first place.

"The one with that weird name?" he heard her ask, and he strained his ears to hear more. "Yeah, I know. There's one of those at the mall, too, isn't it?" Drinking the last of her juice, she made her way in the kitchen again, unconsciously ruining Sasuke's little plan; annoyed with the sudden interruption and not able to make out a thing from her now muffled voice, the Uchiha stood up and quietly made her way out of his office, following the path his wife had taken. (And no, he wasn't being quiet because he wanted to 'spy' on her, but because that was just the way he was. You'll never hear him causing a ruckus, I promise).

"Yes, I know where it is," she said and he wondered whether they were talking about the same thing. Had they changed the subject? That would be nasty, really – what if he made stupid assumptions again? Not that he cared very much, but…well, you know, it was _kind of_ annoying when somebody – especially Sakura, in his case – pointed out his mistakes in his face. "At eight? Okay, I'll be there." _What?!_ "For the last time, TenTen, I own a car, okay? I'll manage just fine. Okay. Yes. See you there!"

"You're out of your goddamned mind you think you're going out _again_ tonight." Those words were out of his mind before his brain could even process the action; she didn't even have a chance to place her phone back into her pocket, not to mention turn around. When she finally did so, however, he could defiantly state that the anger and annoyance had never been so obvious, so visible in those green eyes of her.

_Very well. _That's exactly how he felt, anyway. Nah, who was he trying to fool? He was _so_ much angrier than her – words didn't even begin to describe what he was feeling at that point.

"Why the fuck are you still doing here?" she hissed, glaring hard at him. Sure, she'd wanted him to find out that she was going out and all that, but she would have never thought that it would happen like _this_. In her head, the perfect scenario was her walking up to him and telling him about it. And although, she had to admit, this turned out rather good, as well (judging by the anger shining in his eyes, of course), Sakura couldn't help but feel mad at him for listening in to her conversation.

I mean, who the hell did he think he was? He didn't fucking have a right to do something like that, okay?!

"It's my house," was his answer. "I have the right to be here whenever I fucking want."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Well, I apologize then, Uchiha-sama," she mocked. "I guess I just got _too_ accustomed to _never_ having you around."

"Whether I am around or not should not be your problem."

But, of course. She should have known he'd say something like that. "It's not," she replied simply. "I'm just trying to make you realize that the fact that I can't fucking stand having you breathe the same air as I, isn't exactly _my_ fault."

Sasuke smirked. "You're making it seem like I actually had – _have_ a reason for which to hurry home every day." He didn't miss the way she flinched slightly at his statement, but he chose to ignore it, as he always did; the guilt was always right behind it, but that's okay, he ignored that, too.

"Am I?" she asked, her voice betraying nothing of what she actually felt. "I do believe that calls for _another_ apology from my part – I _really_ didn't mean to make it seem that way," she said, shaking her head. "I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted," Sasuke replied, his smirk growing even wider at her growl.

Sakura's eyes darkened. "Go fuck yourself," she half-hissed, half-muttered, as she quickly walked past him and out of the kitchen. Not wanting the discussion to end until he'd made his point clear, Sasuke followed her into the living room, grabbing her arm and halting her to a stop as soon as he reached her.

"You are not going out tonight." He didn't mean to make it sound like an order, even though we all know it was exactly that, but that's how it came out like, so he couldn't do anything about it. Not that he cared very much. Sakura, on the other hand…well, that's a totally different story.

"Are you fucking out of your mind?" she yelled, yanking her arm out of his grip. "What the fuck is going on with you, Sasuke?!"

This was not the outcome she had expected. He was supposed to get angry, yes, and he was supposed to argue and try to order her around, but _she_ was supposed to be able to walk back to her room with her head held high and her ego totally satisfied. So, why was it that _nothing_ seemed to work out the way she wanted it to?

"_Don't_ yell at me!" he hissed, his black eyes piercing through hers.

"_Don't_ tell me what to do!" she hissed back, the anger in her eyes reflecting his own. "You don't own me, okay? Get that through your think skull and leave me the hell alone!"

And then came the Sasuke's standard reply: "You're my wife."

"The hell I am," she spat, her glare intensifying even more. How that was possible, she didn't know. "A marriage is built on trust, on respect, on _love_, not on a fucking signature," she said, pausing for a moment, before continuing, "You've earned none of those. So give me a break, will you?"

Those were the last words she'd said to him before she turned around, fully intending on going back to her room and starting to get ready for her date with the girls. She didn't make it that far, though. A sudden wave of dizziness hit her again, with a lot more force than before, forcing her to reach out and stabilize herself on the back of the couch – which, thankfully, was right next to her. Raising her free hand to touch her forehead, Sakura frowned lightly in confusion, not knowing what could have possibly triggered this…_thing._

"Are you okay?" No, _no_ she was not okay. Her vision was blurry, her brain felt like somebody had just dropped a veil over it, and her body felt like it would collapse any moment now. Not to mention that she didn't actually know what was wrong, a thing which made everything even more frustrating. But the real problem was him. _Always him_. How could he use that soft, seemingly concerned voice when only a few moments earlier, he'd been shouting and hissing at her, trying to take over her life?

"Do me a favor and stop acting like you care," she muttered, mentally slapping herself for sounding so weak, and tried to walk away, only to face the same problem again. This time, however, her body even swayed a little bit, and that was the one thing that pushed Sasuke to ignore her words and do what he did. He stepped towards her and grabbed her forearms, gently turning her to face him as soon as he was sure she wouldn't collapse against him – _again._

For some reason he couldn't understand, the pinkette kept her head down, and he resisted the urge to cup her face within his hands and force her to look at him. "What's wrong?" he asked instead, eager to find out what the cause of her behavior was. He was worried and there was no denying it – having her collapse into his arms _once_ was more than enough for him to realize that seeing her weak and vulnerable was not a sight he particularly liked, not a sight he wanted to face ever again.

Was that just _too_ much to ask for? It seemed so, really.

"_Nothing is wrong_," she replied shortly, emphasizing every single word. "Take your hands off me!" She sounded really convincing, like he was filthy or something and she didn't want him to touch her for fear of getting infested with some kind of disease. Too bad her actions didn't support the tone of her voice. She didn't make a move to get her arms out of his grip, nor did she raise her head to look at him; her eyes were closed, from what he could see, and a slight frown adorned her features in a way that made him wonder whether she was in pain or trying to fight off something. He soon settled for the latter – she was probably trying to chase the dizziness away.

Speaking of dizziness, what again was wrong with her?

"Sakura – " he tried to speak, but she cut him off before he had a chance to say something more.

"Will you shut the fuck up?" Her voice was barely over a whisper, but it was more than enough to make him comply. And no, he didn't shut his mouth because she didn't _want_ him to speak, but because he knew she didn't _need_ him to speak. She needed something else from him right now, and even if _she_ wasn't conscious enough to realize it, _he_ was.

Now, if only he could realize what that 'something else' was… "Sakura," he started again, determined to make her understand, and stepped back, gently guiding her around the couch and forcing her – not that she resisted much, anyway – to sit down. "Look at me," he ordered softly, finally gathering his courage and titling her head up so that she would do so. Okay, that sounded wrong – it wasn't like he'd been scared she'd punch him or anything; he just hadn't been sure it was necessary. "What's wrong with you?" he asked once more, hoping that, this time, he'd get a _real_ answer.

"I already told you: nothing is wrong," she replied, her voice surprisingly soft and calm. The truth was, she couldn't be mad at him as he looked at her with those eyes of his – those eyes that didn't seem so cold anymore. "I'm fine."

But the way she closed her eyes once more and lied down – a thing that, under normal circumstances, she'd never, _ever_ do with him around – told him the exact otherwise. With a sigh, he stood up and made his way out of the room, only to return a few moments later with a glass of water.

"Sakura, this is the second time in a month that this happens," he said as he took a seat next to her. "What the hell is wrong with you?" At that, she opened her eyes to glare (though she couldn't muster it, really) and her mouth to reply, but he interrupted her. "Stand up," he ordered, one of his hands immediately reaching out to help her, while the other offered her the glass. To his surprise, she didn't comment at all; on the contrary, she did what he said without a second's hesitation. However, Sasuke knew better than to think that happened because she trusted him – she _didn't_; she probably just knew what was best for her.

After taking a few sips of the cold, refreshing liquid, Sakura handed him the glass back, then flopped – rather ungracefully, may I add – back down on the couch. It wasn't long until he realized that she must have felt dizzy again – which led him, once more, to the string of questions he had prepared for her. He wanted to find out so many things, from why she (had) wanted to go out again, to why she'd almost collapsed a few minutes earlier.

First things first: "What's wrong?"

It took her a while until she finally mustered the courage – will and power – to answer his question. "I…I don't know." She knew it wasn't the answer he had expected, but then again, it wasn't like she could do better than that. She really didn't know what could have possibly caused this, and she had no intention whatsoever of hiding her confusion from him.

She hadn't drunk anything else this morning, so the possibility of her mind being clouded by alcohol was very unlikely. Actually no, scratch that – it was not just _'very unlikely'_, it was downright _impossible_. The hangover she'd woken up with was already gone – she made sure of that. Was it the pills she'd taken that caused this? She doubted it – she'd been taking those pills for years whenever her head hurt, and she'd never had problems with them before. But maybe she'd taken too many? Nah, four could hardly be classified as 'too many'.

She'd thought of everything, really, and nothing seemed to be the cause. But there _had_ to be a cause – getting like _that_ without one was not possible. "When was the last time you ate something, Sakura?" Oh,_ that_. Okay, so maybe she hadn't actually thought of _all_ the possible reasons.

"I…" she swallowed, not knowing what to say. Sakura didn't know why, but having him like this – so close, so entirely focused on her, and so…so _worried_ – changed everything, including the way she reacted to his words, to his actions – _to him._ And, right now, she just couldn't bring herself to tell him that he was right, that he'd found the cause of all this, and that she'd been stupid enough to let this happen. Seriously, she almost felt like a five year old squirming under the disapproving look of his parent. Almost, but not quite. The relationship between Sasuke and herself was definitely not a father-daughter type, but it wasn't the husband-wife type, either.

And, somehow, that only made things worse. Although Sakura _could_ understand where this feeling was coming from. Getting that look from a stranger who knew nothing about you was definitely harsher than getting it from a close person, on that knew you fairly well, wasn't it?

"Why are you doing this?" His voice brought her back from her thoughts, causing her attention to focus once more on him.

Sakura frowned, her eyes shining with confusion. "What are you talking about?" she asked in a quiet voice.

He sighed, briefly shaking his head, before speaking. "You're being rebel on purpose," he stated, rather bluntly. "You're trying to make yourself noticed, to make yourself heard. You're trying to make me see just how badly I've been treating you for the last few years."

He knew that because he was aware of it – he had always been aware of how he'd treated her, of how much his actions had hurt her. Awareness had _never_ been his problem. His problem had been – _was _that he didn't know when or how to give up, to change the course of his life. When he made a decision, he stuck with it till the very end, no matter how much he regretted it afterwards. After all, he'd always been a pro at pushing away the feelings or thoughts that did nothing to help him. Now, however, he couldn't just ignore them anymore.

Because _she_ was involved. And not just her mind or heart, but her body, as well. Emotionally, he'd hurt her every time he got a chance, ever since she became his wife; but physically…he couldn't even phantom the prospect of hurting her physically. Her health was above anything else – because he knew that, as long as she was healthy and alive, she would remain by his side. After all, she had no other alternative.

"But you're doing it wrong," he continued, his voice softer, quieter. "You're hurting yourself in the process, Sakura, and I don't deserve that. I fucking _don't_."

She wanted to scream. She wanted to stand up and slap him across the face so hard that he fell down to the floor. She wanted to turn him into her personal punching bag.

But Sakura knew none of those were possible. Because he was right – in every single little aspect. She _was_ being rebel on purpose, and that had never been a secret. And although admitting it didn't feel so well, the reason for which she'd been doing all these things lately was that she wanted to make _her husband _notice her, that she wanted to annoy _her husband_, that she wanted to get back at _her husband_, that she wanted to show _her husband_, like he'd said, how he'd been treating her. Sure, she had other reasons, as well, but that was the absolute one, the most important one, the first that had come to her mind.

And yes, he didn't deserve it. He_ really _fucking didn't.

But when he stood up and made a move to turn away from her, Sakura realized that she didn't fucking give a damn about any of those. "Stay," she murmured as her hand clasped onto his wrist, halting his movements. "Please."

* * *

_A/N: Aww, caring little Sasuke returns. Isn't he cute when he worries like that? I'd say he is, and I'm sure most of you agree with me. _

_Can you guess what will happen next? I doubt it. I have a surprise in store for you! ;)_

_Does the girls leaving to New York seem sudden to you? I know I made TenTen say that she would be busy "next week, and the week after", but she never said what exactly she would be busy with and when exactly they were going to go to New York. To be honest, I never really thought about it, either (you already know how bad I am at keeping track of time in my stories), so I only made this happen now because this is where it blended perfectly with my plot. I hope you don't mind. If you do, though, fell free to voice it – err, write it in your review._

_I also said Sakura will have a "short-lived problem with food". I bet you weren't expecting this to happen so quickly. Neither did I, for that matter. This, too, blended well with the plot – right here, right now. I'm not sure I didn't exaggerate a little by making her dizzy and all that, but I hope I didn't. Just remember, Sakura hasn't eaten a thing since yesterday morning. That's more then enough to have an effect on her, I suppose; and if not, let's just say it simply does. End of story. _

_As usual, there are pictures of Sakura's outfit on my profile. _

_I just went grocery shopping, which means that I have a lot of cookies for you guys. All you have to do now is press the button below and write a few lines about this chapter. They will make me really happy, I assure you – they always do. _

_In other words, review, damn it! XD._


	12. I Can't

_A/N: So, as promised, I'm back with an update. I almost didn't make it, though. My dad was home last week and he kept lingering inside my room (probably trying to verify if I'm doing homework, 'cause he just doesn't get the fact that I cannot – and don't want – to do homework, like, the whole day), so I couldn't focus on writing this. Not that I necessarily want to hide this from my parents, but not all stuff I write is…err, suited for a sixteen year old. Although we do live in a modern society and all that. (My dad would have my head if he found out what exactly M-rated means. Like, really). _

_There isn't much to say, besides a couple of questions that need to be answered; before I do that, however, I want to thank you all for your support – I'm really, really glad you like this story. _

_Now, Sakura does not have an eating disorder. Short-lived problem with food, remember? I just needed a reason to make Sasuke act sweet again, so I chose this. She will not have any more problems with food as the story progresses. _

_Who said Sasuke hasn't gotten laid since the beginning of the story? He has – maybe not as often as he used to, but he has. Don't tell me you guys want me to describe that, cause I'm going to have to disappoint you. This is SasuSaku, not matter how much of a jerk Sasuke is, so I won't dwell too much on how many women he has slept with or how often he'd done that. He has, period. The rest are details._

_Yes, Itachi will make his appearance soon. In about…five chapters, give or take. And don't worry, he won't be mean or evil or anything like that. In fact, he's going to play a major role in getting Sasuke and Sakura together – you'll see what I mean by that. As for Sakura thinking of him as a brother…well, I don't know for sure yet, although it does sound like a good idea. I'm not sure I want to dwell too much on the relationship between Itachi and Sakura, when I should be concentrating on the relationship between Sasuke and Sakura. Anyway, nothing is for sure. All I can say right now is that Sakura will get to (properly) meet Sasuke's family – we'll see how everything goes from there. _

_To be honest, I don't know who designed Sakura's dress. All I know is that it belongs to the '__Sottero & Midgley' collection. Their website is: www(dot)sotteroandmidgley(dot)com. That's where I got it from._

_Fluff will be scattered everywhere in this story, but in small amounts followed by drama. The hardcore fluff, however, will start from…let's say chapter 30 or so, cause that's when Sasuke starts working really hard to gain back both her trust and her love. _

_Enjoy the chapter!_

_

* * *

_

**_Incomplete  
_**_By The Terrorist_

**_Chapter twelve:  
_**_I Can't_

_

* * *

_

"_But you're doing it wrong," he continued, his voice softer, quieter. "You're hurting yourself in the process, Sakura, and I don't deserve that. I fucking __don't__."_

_She wanted to scream. She wanted to stand up and slap him across the face so hard that he fell down to the floor. She wanted to turn him into her personal punching bag._

_But Sakura knew none of those were possible. Because he was right – in every single little aspect. She __was__ being rebel on purpose, and that had never been a secret. And although admitting it didn't feel so well, the reason for which she'd been doing all these things lately was that she wanted to make __her husband __notice her, that she wanted to annoy __her husband__, that she wanted to get back at __her husband__, that she wanted to show __her husband__, like he'd said, how he'd been treating her. Sure, she had other reasons, as well, but that was the absolute one, the most important one, the first that had come to her mind._

_And yes, he didn't deserve it. He__ really __fucking didn't._

_But when he stood up and made a move to turn away from her, Sakura realized that she didn't fucking give a damn about any of those. "Stay," she murmured as her hand clasped onto his wrist, halting his movements. "Please."_

Sakura didn't know why she'd said that. She really didn't. And, as she thought back to her history with Sasuke, she realized that she'd been very, _very_ stupid and reckless to let something like that come out of her mouth. After all, those two simple words had left her so vulnerable, so weak in front of his eyes, that she didn't even want to think of what he could do to her right now. Knowing him, he would most definitely take advantage of her state, of this situation – when did he ever lose an opportunity to hurt her? _Never_. The last time she'd opened up to him was enough proof of that.

She briefly wondered what he'd do this time. Would he regard her with his signature cold look and leave, totally ignoring her words? Would he laugh – err, _smirk _at her? Would he tell her she wasn't worth his time? Would he _prove_ her that? Or would he comply, stay with her, comfort her, and take care of hurting her afterwards? Sakura didn't know why, but the latter sounded more terrifying than any other possible scenario.

Maybe it was because she'd been through something like that before – that one time had been more than enough. Anyhow, she now knew how much it hurt to have him act all sweet and kind one moment, then have him try to rape her the next. And she didn't need another one of those – not now, not ever.

To be honest, though, she truly doubted she'd ever get to see "Sasuke's sweet side" – as she now called it – again. She had no idea what could have possibly triggered that reaction in him back then, but she was pretty sure it had been a moment's thing. Something must have pushed him to do what he'd done and, for the first time ever (she supposed), he'd done as his instincts told him. After all, he was only human – he was in all his rights to make a couple of mistakes from time to time.

There is no denying the fact that Sakura would like to know what exactly that 'something' had been, but she also knew that it wasn't actually relevant. For once, he'd actually done something that didn't involve _hurting _her, but actually _comforting_ her; she'd enjoyed the moment and she would never forget it. But that was it. She should, by now, be able to close that chapter of her life.

But it seemed like fate had other plans.

She really didn't expect him to do as she'd asked him, regardless of how much she'd been thinking about it for the past few moments. But he did. He sighed and sat back down, his mouth instantly opening to ask her another question: "How did this happen?"

And, just like that, she was back where she'd been earlier, when she'd asked him to stay with her. It was just impossible, judging by the softness of his voice, by the concern written in his eyes, by the pure interest he had spoken with, to think that this man was even capable of hurting her. And, no matter how stupid and reckless that was, Sakura decided to let go of all her insecurities and enjoy the moment, enjoy _this_ as long as it lasted.

She decided – very stupidly, may I add – to trust him. Again.

A part of her kept screaming at her to stop this now, before it was too late; it told her to get herself together and remember all the things he'd done to her, remember the outcome of the last time she'd done something like this, the last time she'd let her guard down in front of him. Despite all that, though, Sakura countered it all by remembering the feelings he'd awakened inside of her back then, when he'd held her in his arms – that feeling of safety, of comfort, of warmth, of protection, of _home._ And the rational part of her suddenly became very quiet. Why? Simply because every fiber of her being knew how good that had felt and wanted it to happen again.

At that point, no negative or sad thoughts were needed. After all, there would be time for those later, wouldn't it?

"I…don't really know," she finally answered after a few moments of silence, avoiding, for some reason or another, meeting his eyes. "I guess I just…haven't eaten in a while." Her statement was accompanied by a light shrug, an action which didn't seem to please Sasuke very much, for that disapproving look he'd given her earlier was now back – she couldn't see it, but she could _feel_ it, and that was more than enough.

"You _guess_?" he repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Not eating for 'a while' isn't such an important thing, now is it?"

Before she could stop it, a small whine escaped her mouth, causing Sasuke's eyebrow to raise further. "Stop that," she said. "I know it's wrong – I'm not stupid." Her small pout made it impossible for him not to roll his eyes. He'd always known Sakura was _kind of_ spoiled, no matter how much she'd been through; nothing else explained her behavior sometimes, and the way she was acting right now was just another proof of that.

Under that façade of hers – under that façade that, he knew, he'd forced her to wear, under that façade that portrayed her as a stubborn, independent and cold person – she was nothing but a childish twenty-something woman, who liked spending money, living her life in comfort, being loved and cared for_._ Funny, right? How she _almost_ had it all.

With a sigh, Sasuke shook those thoughts away before they had a chance to develop into something more, and stood up, reaching for the phone on the other side of the small coffee table. As she felt his movements, Sakura's eyes instantly snapped up to watch him, fearing, for a moment, that he would leave. He didn't, though; he just grabbed the phone, then sat back down, his fingers working on dialing an unknown number.

"What are you doing?" she couldn't help but ask, the huge amount of curiosity that had settled inside her at the sight of his actions making it impossible for her to keep her mouth shut. That and…well, to be honest, she _kind of_ had a feeling that he wouldn't hesitate in calling the doctor or something – he'd done it before, after all – and that was _definitely_ not needed.

When he spoke, she didn't know what surprised her more: the fact that he'd actually given her an answer, or the answer itself. "I'm going to order some food." Because, let's face it: he didn't actually _know_ how to cook. What the hell, cooking was a woman's job, okay? And he was _not_ a woman, which meant that no one had a right to expect him to even _try_ to learn how to use something else than the microwave.

"But," she started, pushing her body into a sitting position and biting her lower lip slightly. "I'm…not actually…" she trailed off, not quite sure of how to tell him this without having him look at her _that _way. "…err, hungry."

The only thing she got in response was a blank, bored look. "You shut up," he told her moments after, his onyx eyes boring into hers. "You don't have a say in all this."

Sakura _really_ didn't know what made those words so much more different now, than all the other times she'd heard them before. Was it the tone he'd spoken in, or the lack of the typical coldness in his eyes? Maybe it was something regarding the fact that he was now thinking of her well-being and not of how to hurt her once more. The circumstances they were in, maybe? She didn't know. But, at that point, she didn't even care.

~•~

It was strange. And yes, Sakura was aware of the fact that this wasn't the first time this week that she thought of something as strange. But it wasn't her who had a problem here – it was the people around her. After all, they were the ones who gave her this feeling. First TenTen and her unbelievably friendly attitude, then her crazy friends and that crazy night, then Naruto making his appearance all of a sudden and totally out of nowhere…and now this.

_Now Sasuke_. He was so nice. The pinkette didn't know what exactly was inside of him right now, what exactly was controlling his words and actions, but it definitely wasn't the same thing as the last time. Because, right now, he was acting much, _much_ sweeter than he'd ever acted, than she'd ever seen him act, than she'd ever thought him capable of acting.

He was almost _feeding _her, for God's sake!

After the little talk they'd had in the living room, he'd told her to go wait for him upstairs, for he'd be there as soon as the food came; she'd agreed, obviously, at that point wanting nothing more but to escape his disapproving gaze, and after reassuring him – for like, _ten times_ – that she could definitely walk by herself, she'd done as she'd been told. True to his word, it hadn't been long until he appeared. From what she could see, he'd ordered food for the both of them, but he had purposely put his own dish to the side, wanting to "make sure she ate properly this time".

And he'd been annoying her ever since. Every time she put her fork down, silently communicating that she simply could _not_ fit anything more in her stomach, he wordlessly picked it up and brought it to her lips, forcing her to eat more. And it wasn't like she didn't enjoy having his attention focused, for the first time, solely on her, like she didn't enjoy having him so close to her, like she didn't enjoy seeing this side of him again, but too much was simply too much, and she was seriously starting to feel like some kind of invalid.

"I can eat by myself, you know," she grumbled as she scowled lightly at him, not bothering to keep the irritation out of her voice.

"Yeah," he answered with a hint of sarcasm. "Which is what got us into this situation, in the first place."

The pinkette tried really hard not to roll her eyes at his words, but failed miserably. "I already told you: this is the first time something like this happens to me," she said. "It's not a habit or anything like that."

"Yes." He nodded. "But you have yet to give me a reason for which this happened," he told her, his black eyes meeting her green ones. Sakura opened her mouth to speak, even though she had no idea what to tell him, but he stopped her before she had a chance to do so. "You don't have to feel pressured to tell me," he said. "All that matters is for you know it and not to do this _ever_ again – the rest are details."

Sakura was truly curious whether there was somebody on this planet that could possibly find something to say to him after he'd just uttered those words. That was probably the sweetest, most understanding thing she'd ever been told – and it had come from Sasuke, no less. As that idea finally sunk into her mind, Sakura realized that his behavior couldn't even be labeled as "weird". Hell no, weird was when he actually _talked_ to her. This…this was something else, something more, something that had yet to receive a name.

Of course, she could always go with the classical explanation – you know, the one with the spirit haunting this house, a spirit which absolutely _loved_ using her husband to toy with her – but Sakura was quite sure that was not it. (Because, in case you were wondering, she _did_ take that possibility into consideration – you would too, in her place). His behavior had a different explanation, one that, for some reason or another, she could not find. And to think she'd been searching for it ever since the incident in the living room happened; the lack of progress in this area was getting ridiculous and downright frustrating.

Either she was stupid, or he was really fucked up – so fucked up that not even _he_ was able to understand the cause of his actions.

She was most definitely _not_ stupid. But Sasuke wasn't fucked up, either – he was always so calm and collected, that it was hard to think that anything about him could be even wrong. Sure, he had his problems, but no one was perfect, now was it? The sole thing about Sasuke that she could call messed up was his emotions, and that was only because she'd never seen them, which somehow gave her the right to make assumptions. But hiding them so well meant that his control over them _had_ to be flawless – which probably was, so she dismissed the thought.

If that were true, however, then what did _this_ mean?

He was completely aware and in control of his actions, and even though it wasn't much easier to read him than before, Sakura could tell that his concern was genuine and that every word that had come out of his mouth was sincere. His sudden caring nature was strange, and so was the way he seemed to be dotting over her right now, but she was certain he wasn't faking one bit of it.

The Uchiha didn't seem to consider taking care of her an obligation, either. He wasn't doing this because he had to keep up the appearances, or because, as a human-being, he found it hard and selfish to leave her alone when it was obvious she couldn't take care of herself. Sakura didn't know what other reason he could possibly have, but she was quite sure it was none of the ones mentioned before. Sure, they both sounded an awful lot like something the Sasuke she knew would do, but the problem was: this _wasn't_ the Sasuke she knew. This couldn't possibly be the same man she'd married, or even the same man that had comforted her a few weeks ago.

"Sasuke?" she asked softly, quietly, when she finally couldn't take it anymore. At the sound of her voice, he looked up at her, his eyes meeting hers once more. That, along with his typical grunt let her know that he was giving her all his attention, so she took a deep breath and spoke again: "Why are you acting so sweet?"

The Uchiha frowned, her question having trouble registering in his mind. "What do you mean?" he asked, both confused and shocked. What was going on through that head of hers? "I'm not sweet." I mean, yes, he was most definitely _not_ acting like himself, but it was hard to believe that, after everything he'd done to her, the pinkette could still think that him and that word could actually form a sentence together.

Sakura's opinion seemed to be different, as she frowned upon hearing his answer. Had he not liked the word she'd used? Well, yeah, most men didn't enjoy having women tell them they're sweet, but still, the pinkette was quite sure Sasuke was smart enough to make the difference between what that word usually entailed and what she had truly meant, wasn't he?

And maybe she should have used a different word, but her mind didn't seem to be able to find one that would suit his behavior better – as she thought about it, all that came up to the front of her mind was a huge mass of messed up words that had no connection whatsoever with each other and that kept swirling round and round until a sudden pain erupted into her head, a warning of some sort that her brain was _still _suffering the after-effects of the massive hangover she'd had this morning.

Still, she decided that voicing it wouldn't hurt anybody. "Maybe not," she said, shrugging lightly. "Maybe you're not _sweet_. But you're…" she trailed off for a second, struggling to choose the right word. "Different? Yeah, different. In a good way," she quickly added. "More…caring, more understanding… You're just…_better_," she finally said and raised her head to look at him, as she had been picking at the comforter the entire time she'd spoken. "Why is that?"

His answer was quick and rather simple: "Because you're my wife and I have to take care of you." He probably didn't even think much before saying that.

She scoffed. "And you realize that _now?_" she asked, an almost incredulous edge to her voice.

"Sakura, be serious," he told her, rolling his eyes. "Now many times have I hurt you?" She opened her mouth to answer before he even got to finish his sentence, and he knew he had to do something to stop her before she started giving him the full list. "Physically, I mean," he clarified, cutting her off.

The pinkette's mouth opened automatically, her mind immediately talking her to that one time he'd touched her with a _very_ specific purpose, but she managed to stop any sound from coming out, knowing that that example wasn't exactly the right one. After all, he hadn't truly _hurt_ her back then; he'd obviously _wanted_ to hurt her, he'd _tried_ to hurt her, but that was a totally different matter. The effects of his actions had made their presence known emotionally and mentally, but not physically, and his question was exactly that.

As much as it pained her, as much as it annoyed and frustrated her not to be able to throw his mistakes in his face, Sakura had to admit that he had a point. "Never," she whispered, averting his eyes from his and choosing to look down again.

"See?" he pointed out, throwing her a meaningful look. "And I don't want to see you hurt, either. Hell, I don't even want to see you uncomfortable." He paused for a moment, before adding: "Especially when I'm absolutely certain there's more than enough food out there."

There's no denying the fact that his words surprised her in a rather pleasant way, but they weren't nearly enough to break her resolve, to distract her from what she was trying to find out. She'd been through a similar experience before and she'd be damned if she let this opportunity slide by _without_ having him tell her what she'd been dying to know ever since that day.

"Yes," she acknowledged, nodding lightly. "But that's not all that matters, you know?" She raised her head to look at him, forest green clashing with deep onyx; shaking her head, the pinkette decided not to dwell on this matter anymore, as she was quite sure he didn't really give a damn about the fact that he'd hurt her or about how many times he'd done that. Instead, she decided to focus on more important matters. "I just want to know why," she whispered, looking down for a brief moment and shrugging as if it was no big deal, before letting her eyes meet his once more.

"Why what?" was his answer, and she resisted the urge to roll her eyes. He knew perfectly well what she was asking him and he also knew she knew it. He was just playing stupid – either that or he was avoiding, for some reason or another, giving her an answer.

"Why are you acting like this?" she clarified. "I can't even count how many times you've hurt me. And yet, you come here now and say to me that you _want _to take care of me because that's you duty as _my husband_, because you don't want to see me _hurt_ or _uncomfortable,_" she said, stressing out his words from earlier. "How does that even work?"

Sasuke shook his head, knowing perfectly well that he did not have an answer to that question. He had yet to understand the feelings she'd woken up inside him and the way he'd unconsciously – more or less – reacted to both them and her. In this domain, he was as confused as – or probably even more than – her. "It doesn't matter," he told her, quickly changing the subject. "The point is, you must not hurt yourself, Sakura. Beca – "

"Because you hurt me enough for the both of us, I know," the pinkette cut him off sharply, rolling her eyes. "I already told you: I don't want to hurt myself an – _and_ what do you even care, huh?" She was about to launch in another round of explanations when she realized that was probably exactly what he wanted to achieve. She was not the one who had explanations to give here – _he was._ "Why do you care?"

She wasn't going to let it go, Sasuke realized. The stubbornness in her was now making its presence known and with the fatigue from earlier now gone from her system, the Uchiha knew he had no chance whatsoever in winning against her. And he wouldn't want to win, really, for he was very much aware of the fact that she was in all her rights to demand _and_ to get an explanation, but the problem was, he didn't _have_ that explanation she was asking for. He should, but he didn't.

Just like the last time, Sasuke had no idea why he was acting that way; all he knew was that seeing her so vulnerable had triggered something inside him, something he couldn't fully control, something that pushed him to forget about everything and everyone, and simply focus on her. But how could he explain that to her without making a fool of himself? The answer: he couldn't, which is what got him into this situation, in the first place.

He briefly considered standing up and getting out of the room, getting away from her and all her questions, but he shook that thought off as soon as it popped into his mind. After all, what would he solve by doing that? Absolutely nothing, that's what. Except from breaking her heart again, which was something he had no intention whatsoever of doing – not now, not ever.

But what could he do? What could he tell her? What would _she_ want to hear? Should he be sincere and tell her he had no idea? Would she even _believe_ him if he did that?

All kind of questions were running through his mind at a dazzling speed, a rare occurrence for somebody cool and collected like him. He felt like he couldn't think of anything, couldn't concentrate on anything, couldn't _do_ anything. And it was all because of her. Sakura was the only person who could make him feel that way – so confused, so out-of-control – and that was probably one of her most annoying traits.

With a frustrated sigh, he stood up and quickly walked across the room, stopping in front of the window; he rubbed a hand across his jaw as he silently contemplated what to tell her, what to do in order to make her back off, what words to use in order not to hurt her, what pieces of information to share with her in order not to give her the wrong impression. He had to admit, it wasn't as easy as he'd initially thought it would be.

"And what is_ this_ supposed to mean?" She certainly wasn't going to give him much time to sort through his thoughts. "That you don't care? That you don't _know?_" Her low hiss was accompanied by the soft ruffling of sheets, and he knew she'd stood up; it wasn't long until she was in front of him, her arms crossed over her chest in a defiant manner and her eyes basically piercing through him. "Well, I don't, either. But I want to find out – I want _you_ to tell me."

Why was she doing this? She'd just guessed right, and even though he hadn't given her any signs that would show her that, Sasuke knew she was smart enough to realize that her assumptions had been true. And yet, she kept pushing and pushing, staring into his eyes with that stubbornness and defiance that was so characteristic to her. Couldn't she see how hard this was from him?

"This – whatever _'this'_ means – isn't easy for me, either. You've toyed with me so many times that I don't even know what to make out of your behavior, what to expect within the next five minutes. The last time you did something like this, I ended up almost being raped – raped by no other than _you!_"

He knew that – he knew how hard it was for her, how much this whole thing confused her, how much she'd suffered because of that one time he'd lost control around her, how much she probably feared his next actions, how much of a turmoil was inside her head right now. Yes, he was aware of all of that. But he truly didn't know how to make it better,_ easier_ for her.

"Now you're doing it again," she continued, her voice softer, quieter, an almost defeated edge to it. "Now you're…now you're acting all sweet again, making me think that there's more to you than what you let others see – more than you're coldness, your selfishness."

He wanted so badly to tell her that she was right, that he had much more to give than he'd showed her – or everybody else, for that matter – but he knew he couldn't. Because he would never be able to prove it, and having her think of him as a liar was the last thing he needed at that point.

Opening up to people had always been hard for him, and here we have to take into account the fact that Sakura was no ordinary person. She was _his wife_ – a wife who he'd hurt repeatedly and intentionally, a wife who couldn't _possibly_ fully trust him after everything he'd done to her, a wife who he'd never really wanted, a wife who he'd _forced_ himself to hate and reject from the very first time he'd seen her. _But…_

"You're confusing me, you're mixing my feelings, you're_ playing _with me again! And I don't like it at all – I actually quite hate it. Just like I should hate _you_. I should hate you for everything you've done to me, for everything you _will_ do to me. Your simple presence should make me sick, should make me want to run off to the other end of the world." She paused for a moment, rolling her eyes in an effort to keep the tears that had gathered into her eyes from falling, before continuing in a much softer tone: "It doesn't. Right now, _I trust you._ I trust you, even though you haven't done a thing to deserve it. And I know it's wrong, I know it will only lead me into more trouble, I know I'll end up getting hurt again_… _But I also know I can't do anything about it."

_…But_ she was also a wife for whom he undoubtedly cared, a wife who, even after everything she'd faced, was still capable of standing in front of him right now and telling him that she was confused, that she was scared, that she was aware of the fact that he'd probably hurt her again, but that she couldn't lie about the fact that every fiber of her being told her to trust him, to give him, to give _them_ one more chance.

"No…" he whispered, shaking his head and looking away from her, feeling as if he couldn't meet her eyes. Because he knew that she was right, because he was a fucking bastard and because it pained him to have _her_ tell him that.

"Yes," she answered. "Face it, Sasuke, it _will_ happen. With you, it _always_ does."

"I don't want to hurt you." Those words were out of his mouth before his brain could even register the action, and it wasn't long until he realized his mistake. He was supposed to clear things up for her, not confuse her even more.

"Then why do you?" she hissed, fixing him with a cold glare. "Damn it, Sasuke, most of the things were done on purpose! You knew they would hurt me and that's exactly what you wanted!" she yelled. "How can you say that you don't want to hurt me, huh? What the fuck do you gain from playing with me like this?"

"It's not about that, damn it!" he yelled back, somewhat frustrated that she didn't understand. But then again, how could she, when not even he could?

"Then what is it about?" she hissed lowly. "Enlighten me, please," she mocked, earning a glare from him.

Before he could stop himself, Sasuke reached out and grabbed the base of her neck, pulling her closer and forcing her to look at him; the pinkette gasped, shocked by the sudden movement, but quickly regained her composure and glared up at him, determined to send him to hell and back by using only her eyes and her mouth. That, until she heard his next words.

"It's about the fact that I should hate you," he said, steadily holding her gaze. "I _want_ to hate you," he emphasized. "…But I can't."

* * *

_A/N: Yeah, the surprise will happen in the next chapter. As usual, my estimations were not correct, and I ended up writing a gigantic (almost 8,000 words) chapter – which is one of the reasons for which this was posted a lot later than it should have been. The week's not over, so I didn't break my promise, but still. I was kind of like 'wtf?' when I realized what I'd done. Oh, well. At least I have half of the next chapter already written._

_I will complicate things a little, cause I love doing that, but it's all for the best. Everything will work out in the end, I assure you._

_Anyway, there's something else I wanted to tell you guys. I've been meaning to create a blog for a while now, so I decided I should really get down to business already. I will post teasers there – pictures, a few lines from the next chappie, or sometimes even both. I'll also use it to tell you guys when and why I'm not able to update according to my schedule, and all sort of things like that. The link will be on my profile by this Sunday, so don't forget to check it out!_

_And now, review, please, so I can give you a cookie!_


	13. Let's Start Over

_A/N: So sorry for the delay, guys – the past few weeks have been hectic, really. I won't ramble about this here, but at the end of the chapter, seeing as you might be too eager to read the chapter to actually stop and read my A/N first. I only want to answer your questions, and then you're free to go read (not that there's anything stopping you now):_

_1. I see I kind of managed to scare you guys when I said Sasuke will start working on winning her back around chapter 30, so I think you got the wrong idea here. It will be around that time that their role reverse, making Sasuke the one to try to make their relationship work, but that's only because something really bad will happen – because of him, of course. The way there won't be boring, I assure you, and their relationship will develop a lot in the meantime (which is why writing so many chapters is absolutely necessary)._

_2. I already told you, a confrontation between Sasuke and Naruto will happen soon enough. I just need a reason for it to happen, cause I can't make Naruto pop out of nowhere and punch Sasuke, now can I? I suppose (suppose, _not_ promise) that, if everything goes according to the plan, they will meet in about…6-7 chapters? I dunno exactly. It will be after Sakura meets Itachi, though._

_3. I'm not sure yet how I'm going to make Mikoto act, but I guess that, since the entire story will be focused on Sasuke's and Sakura's relationship, she'll most likely be kind and understanding, but also strict at times (because, you know, this is her son's happiness we're talking about)._

_As for the manga…all I can say is: _Sasuke has gone bananas._ Like, really. I never thought anything that he does could make me feel anything but adoration towards him, but lately, he's got me all freaked out. I hope he's not, like, totally deranged._

_Anyway, enjoy the chapter!  
_

* * *

**_Incomplete_**  
_By The Terrorist_

**_Chapter thirteen:_**  
_Let's Start Over_

* * *

_"It's not about that, damn it!" he yelled back, somewhat frustrated that she didn't understand. But then again, how could she, when not even he could?_

_"Then what is it about?" she hissed lowly. "Enlighten me, please," she mocked, earning a glare from him._

_Before he could stop himself, Sasuke reached out and grabbed the base of her neck, pulling her closer and forcing her to look at him; the pinkette gasped, shocked by the sudden movement, but quickly regained her composure and glared up at him, determined to send him to hell and back by using only her eyes and her mouth. That, until she heard his next words._

_"It's about the fact that I should hate you," he said, steadily holding her gaze. "I _want_ to hate you," he emphasized. "…But I can't."_

She couldn't say that she hadn't expected him to talk, because that would be a lie; she'd known, from the very beginning, that this time would be different, that this time she would _finally _manage to get something – a reaction, a small fragment of his thoughts, _anything _– out of him, so there was no surprise for her when he finally snapped. But of all the things that could have come out of his mouth, _that _was something she would have never thought of.

_"I want to hate you, but I can't."_

In some kind of weird, twisted way that was so characteristic to Sasuke, those words managed to both confuse and enlighten her; they cleared a couple of things about his strange behavior, but when it came to his reasons for acting that way, they left her totally in the dark. And if there was one thing in this world that Sakura hated more than the arranged marriage her father had forced her in, that was being left in the dark.

"You want to hate me," she repeated in a whisper, more to herself than to him, averting her eyes from his for a moment, before looking up at him again. "Why?" Strange, how such a simple question could hold so much meaning.

His answer was immediate. "Because that's the way it's supposed to be."

"What are you talking about?" the pinkette breathed in disbelief, a deep frown adorning her features. "Supposed to be…what the…?" She wasn't making much sense and she knew it, but then again, how could she? There were so many thoughts – so many questions, so many possibilities – running through her head right now, that it was incredibly difficult for her to sort through them and to focus on the matter at hand, despite the fact that they were all somewhat connected to it.

She briefly wondered if he was feeling the same, but she shook the thought off as soon as it popped into her mind, mentally slapping herself for wasting time with such stupid things. Sasuke wasn't easy to read, but if not even _this _was obvious, then she didn't know what was. Just like her, he was confused and frustrated; maybe even more, considering the fact that _he _was the one who was currently trying to put some order into both his thoughts and feelings, so that he could explain everything to her later on. Sakura had never been through such a situation before, mainly because she'd never had a problem with expressing her feelings freely, but she did have a vague idea of how he was probably feeling at this point.

And, somehow, the simple thought of him being tormented – of _him _tormenting himself – like that made her want to comfort him _so _badly; it made her want to take a step closer, hug him, tell him that she was there, that she was not going anywhere, that she had all the time in the world to wait for him to start talking. But no matter how selfless and caring she might be, that would undoubtedly be a lie. Because, at this point, she wanted those explanations more than she'd ever wanted anything in this world, and she had no intentions whatsoever of waiting.

_No_. She'd waited enough. She'd suffered enough. Now…now it was his turn.

"I'm supposed to hate you," he hissed through gritted teeth a few moments later, closing his eyes for a brief moment in an effort to keep his self-control from slipping. Sasuke wasn't sure where this sudden anger was coming from, but he knew he had to be careful with handling it; otherwise, he would probably end up saying some things he didn't entirely mean – like he usually did. And that was the last thing he needed right now. She was starting to understand – he could _see _it, _feel _it. And he couldn't allow himself to ruin everything once more.

"Why?" she asked, still frowning. "What do you mean you're _supposed _to hate me?"

"I never wanted you," he answered without hesitation, abruptly letting go of her and taking a step back; his action caught her off guard, and she stumbled back, as well, effectively putting more distance between them. "I never wanted this shit to happen!"

"And you think I did?" she almost – _almost _– shrieked, looking at him with shock-filled eyes. She could definitely understand where he was coming from, but he was making it seem like she was any different, and that was probably the thing that angered her the most. "You know I didn't, Sasuke! It's not my fault – it's _never _been my fault!"

"I know, damn it!" he yelled, furiously running a hand through his inky locks.

"Then why are you doing this to me?!" she screamed, placing her hands on his chest and pushing him backwards with as much force as she could muster; it didn't have the effect she would have wanted, but it did send him stumbling back a few steps, and that was more than enough to satisfy her. Too bad she was too caught up in their argument to notice. "You're hurting me without actually having a reason, you bastard!" she yelled, trying hard to hold back tears – tears of hurt or anger, she didn't know. "You're blaming me for something I've never done!"

"I don't know!" he yelled back. "I don't fucking know, okay?" Because he truly didn't. At this point, he wanted nothing more than to reveal _everything _he'd been hiding for these past two years, to explain everything, to make her understand the reasons behind his actions. But he was well-aware of the fact that he couldn't do that – not when he didn't know them himself. "It was clear to me that you weren't happy with this from the very first time I saw you," he continued, his voice calmer, quieter. "I've always known this isn't your fault."

At that, Sakura couldn't help but roll her eyes, and crossed her arms over her chest, looking away from him. "Oh, really?" she mumbled sarcastically, not really meant for him to hear.

He did, though. "Yes," he answered, his voice a lot softer than only a few seconds before.

"You're making no sense," she told him sincerely as she turned her head to look at him once more. "I hope you know that."

"I know," he instantly whispered, finding himself unable to deny it.

She was surprised upon hearing him, for she really hadn't expected him to admit it (even if it was totally obvious), but the feeling didn't fully register in her mind, as she had yet to absorb every single piece of information she'd learned over the past few minutes. When she spoke again a few moments later, her voice was quiet and unsure, a light frown present on her features. "You're making it seem like it was only _normal _for you to hate me," she said, her eyes practically begging for clarification as they looked up at him.

"To me, it was – in a way, it still is," he admitted, nodding. Running a hand through his hair and sighing quietly, he turned around and walked towards the bed, sitting down on it as soon as he reached it. "Since I didn't want you, I forced myself to believe that I shouldn't – and _didn't_ – care about you. It wasn't long until I got to the conclusion that what I was supposed to feel for you was hate, which is probably why I kept ignoring, rejecting and hurting you."

He knew this wasn't like him at all – times when he talked that much were very rare (for him, the basic _'hn'_ and _'aa'_ were more than enough to communicate with people); times when he talked like _that _(so freely, with no restrictions whatsoever _and _about his feelings, no less) were almost inexistent. But right now, this seemed like the right thing to do – after all, who was _he _to keep her in the dark when it came to this, to _their _life together?

Sakura was a smart woman – he'd always known that – and there was no doubt that she'd be able to make connections soon enough. And he was perfectly aware of the fact that, when that happened, she would realize that he'd meant every harsh word, every hurtful action, and she would most likely never want to hear from him again. Sasuke didn't know to what degree he would like or hate that, but he also knew it was inevitable – he wasn't sure he would want to stop it, even if he had a choice, in the first place.

It was time to speak the truth and face the consequences of his actions – it was time to set things right.

"Whenever I had doubts, I provoked you to fight with me, hoping that it would somehow remind me that this could never work, that I had reasons not to like you. It wasn't until a few months ago that I realized I couldn't _possibly _feel something like that for you. It was around that time that I started spending even more time away from home, away from _you_. The only times when I got to see you, we ended up fighting and, much to my relief, that drew us even farther apart."

Sakura's eyes widened at how logical his words sounded, at how they were making everything fall into place. The puzzle that had been bothering her ever since the two of them got married was now ridiculously easy to solve, and although she knew she couldn't have done it without having him talk to her about it, she couldn't help but feel rather stupid for not having realized all this earlier.

"And then that incident happened. You just _had _to arrive home in that state, you just _had _to collapse into my arms, you just _had _to break down in front of me…and I just _had _to take care of you. It was impossible not to, really, and I did it regardless of the fact that I knew nothing good would come out of it."

It was strange, really, how two very different persons could think the same, even if just for a moment, at some point in their lives. To be honest, Sasuke had always seemed so sure of himself, so in-control of everything, that Sakura would have never guessed that he actually had the capability of realizing when he was doing something wrong; his arrogance played an important role in that, of course, and that might have been the thing that made Sakura believe that he was under the impression that he was flawless. It seemed like things were not like that, though.

Their definition of _'wrong' _had probably been totally different in that situation – she'd been scared he'd hurt her again, while he'd probably been scared that he would be forced to show a side of him he wasn't particularly proud of (since he seemed to consider showing his feelings openly a weakness) – but that wasn't exactly relevant. The point was, they had had the very same feeling that day – the rest were details.

Why was it that having something in common with him made her feel somewhat _relieved?_

"When I saw that coat – _yes_, that was jealousy! I couldn't stand the thought of another man touching you. And when I forced you to have dinner with me and Neji – _yes_, it was because I _wanted_ you to! I can't even begin to describe how much the fact that you seemed to never be home afterwards bothered me! Just like I can't describe how worried I was when you almost collapsed in front of me again!"

Sakura had to try hard in order to keep her mouth from falling open at his confession. Of course she'd realized that, during these past few weeks, he'd been acting like a jealous, possessive and over-protective husband, but his mean words and actions had always distracted her, not allowing her to dwell too much on that thought – which, now that she thought about it, could have been their true purpose. Besides, she _really _hadn't expected to hear him say that.

After everything he'd done to her, the prospect of him being worried about her sounded downright ridiculous, and she'd believed it to be so, despite the fact that there were times when she could have sworn he really _did _care for her. Today, she'd realized that all those times when she'd seen concern flash in his eyes weren't just figments of her imagination, but plain truth. Having him say it, however, was a totally different thing. Not only did it assure her that she had been right in her assumptions, but also, it caused a small bubble of happiness swell inside of her in a rather pleasant way, a way she hadn't felt for a long time now.

"And I'm not supposed to feel any of that, Sakura! I'm not _supposed _to and I don't fucking _want _to!" On the other hand, he didn't seem very pleased – about _anything_.

"Why is that so important?" she found herself asking almost instantly, a frown adorning her features. Her confusion was almost entirely gone, as his words had answered most of her questions, but it seemed like they'd done nothing to help him. She could easily tell that, for some reason she could not phantom, he was still confused (or whatever word that would suit this situation better), a thing that took her to the conclusion that the games he'd been playing with her had had a much bigger effect on him, than they'd had on her. How that was even _possible_, she didn't know. "What should truly matter is what you _feel_, not what you're _supposed to feel_. Sasuke – "

She'd wanted to continue, but he cut her off before she had a chance to. "You don't get it," he whispered, shaking his head and looking away from her.

"I don't," she easily admitted, knowing that there was no point in playing smart and telling him otherwise. "I don't and I'm not going to deny it. This explains your behavior, Sasuke, and I can't be more grateful for that, but your reasons…" she trailed off, unable to voice the jumble of thoughts in her head when it came to that. "I'm not stupid, but I _can't_ see them. It's like they're not even there!"

Of course she didn't see them – he barely managed to do that himself! Don't get me wrong, it wasn't like he didn't have a reason for which he'd acted the way he did – that would be plain stupid, really. He _did _have a reason (maybe even more than one), despite the fact that it was idiotic and rather unexplainable. But the only way she could find out was if she had some kind of special power that would allow her to read minds and to sort through the mess in his head, for he was certain he could _never _voice it.

"The only thing that comes to my mind right now is the fact that you did this because of your stubbornness, because you were so determined to make yourself believe that you hated me that it completely clouded your judgment."

Or maybe he'd underestimated her – maybe she was smarter than he'd initially thought. Because that, right there, was the one reason for which their marriage was shot to hell the moment it happened. It was because of his stubbornness that he didn't want her, that he rejected her every time she tried to make this right, that he forced himself to hate her, that he tried so hard not to see, not to realize, not to acknowledge that _she _was the one for him. He did now; but at this point, it truly didn't matter anymore.

"I mean, there's just _no way_ you couldn't have realized that what you were supposed to feel did not match what you simply felt. This isn't like you, Sasuke – this isn't like you _at all_," she said, shaking her head lightly. "The man I know would have never done all this just because he believed that's what he should do, just because he'd seen many movies which followed the storyline of his life. The man I know would have taken his time and analyzed the situation. He would have found a way to work this out, because, for him, the only thing that matters, is what _he _wants to do, what _he _thinks is right."

It was almost unbelievable how she seemed to know him so well. As far as he was concerned, this was the very first time they talked openly about their marriage, about their thoughts and feelings; before, all those had been carefully concealed, neither of them having had the courage to show it to the other, for fear that it might get to be used against him. There was no doubt that, up until now, there hadn't been a time when the two of them had sat down together – even by chance – and actually _talked _– talked about little things that had no potential of getting the two of them into a fight. And yet, she was here now, telling him something that, he _knew_, he wouldn't have been able to realize even if he had taken his time to study himself closely.

And she was completely right in each and every aspect. "I'm right, aren't I?" Admitting it, however, might prove a little too hard for him to manage. But her voice was soft and calm as she spoke, as if she already knew the answer to that question. "You did it because of your stubbornness, didn't you?" Then again, maybe she did.

"It doesn't matter, Sakura," he said quietly, looking down. "What's done is done. No matter how many explanations you find, you can't undo it." And that's what pained him the most: the fact that he could _never _erase a thing from what he'd done to her. Sure, he could clear things up, and he could even make up for all the harm he'd done to her (that, if she let him, of course), but the past was the past and nothing could be done about it.

"You're right."

In his mind, this was the part where she started hissing at him, started telling him everything he deserved to hear and more. This was the part where she _finally _had a chance to stand up for herself and make him pay – if only just a little – for everything he'd put her through during these past few years. This was the part where she told him to get the fuck out of her room, of her life, for she didn't want to see him ever again.

…None of those happened, though.

Instead, it wasn't long until he felt the bed shift next to him, a clear indication that she had sat down – close enough that he could feel the warmth radiating off her. Sasuke briefly wondered what her next move would be. This certainly didn't look like the scenario in which a fight would break out, and, to be honest, she truly didn't seem to have any intention whatsoever of starting to yell at him, either. But she had so many reasons to be mad at him right now, that he chose not to take into account all those tiny little details.

When she finally spoke, though, her voice was soft, calm and quiet, with no hints of anger or resentments. "You know," she started, "I tried to hate you, too." Finally raising his head, Sasuke shifted a little so that he was almost facing her, his eyes meeting hers once more; from that moment on, he was _absolutely _sure that Sakura was not angry, not annoyed, not _anything _from what he'd imagined her to be. It was strange, he knew, but those eyes had never lied to him, so he had no reason to doubt them. The flicker of hope that crossed his heart for a moment made it impossible for him to even _want _to be a pessimist and doubt them.

"All the things I've been doing in the past few weeks…" she trailed off, shaking her head lightly as a bitter smile appeared onto her features. "There's no denying that one of the major things I hoped to achieve through them was to gain your attention…and the ones I did before I met TenTen and the girls, too," she confessed. "Everything…_everything _has always been about you, Sasuke. Ever since I married you, my life keeps revolving around you, and I can't seem to find a way to stop it from doing so." She broke eye-contact by looking down, finding herself unable to hold his gaze as she spoke. "You're like…the center of my universe. The person I'm closest to. A few weeks ago, you were all I had."

There was no point in denying it – it was true. Her family was practically inexistent, and before she met TenTen and the girls, Sakura had no friends; for the past few years, she'd only had _him_. And sure, he was cold, detached and selfish, never wasting an opportunity to hurt her, but _he was there._ Maybe not physically, since he was hardly ever around, but the simple thought of him coming home, to _her_, had always made her feel slightly better.

Besides, he'd been there in her hardest times, hadn't he? Yes, yes he had – and that was probably what she appreciated most about him, about all this. There was no doubt that she could have made it on her own – after all, she'd been through worse – but she probably wouldn't have recovered until now. Without realizing it, he'd helped her immensely – even by fighting with her, thus distracting her from whatever had previously hurt her. _What better method to make one forget about a painful experience than replacing it with another?_ That was probably the stupidest thing her mind had ever come up with, but no one could label it as untrue.

"The hate," she began again, raising her head so that she could look at him. "…all these things we've been doing, the confusing situations we've been through…" she trailed off for a moment, shrugging lightly before continuing: "Everything has bounded us somehow. It's…it's the kind of connection I haven't felt in such a long time…I didn't even recognize it at first…" Sasuke could tell, by the way she whispered the last part and looked down, that it was hard for her to talk about this, about whatever connection she was mentioning, and although he wanted to know why exactly that was, he decided not to press on the matter anymore.

He could definitely understand where she was coming from, though – he, too, felt the so-called connection she was talking about. Despite the nature of their relationship, they had bonded…_somehow_. Not in the right way, obviously, but then again, when had _anything _been right between the two of them? Never, and, truth to be told, Sasuke didn't expect to see such a miracle anytime soon – if not _ever_. Just because she'd behaved differently, just because she'd taken this better than he'd thought she would, didn't mean that the outcome he'd imagined would change, as well. No, that was simply impossible.

_She couldn't possibly –_

"I just…" Her soft voice reached his ears again, snapping him out of his thoughts, and he returned his full attention to her. "I mean, after finding out all this, after having cleared up everything…" she trailed off, biting her lower lip and averting her eyes from his, setting them on the comforter beneath them; her hand began fidgeting with the edge of the blanket, a clear sign that she was nervous about something. "I just…I just want you to know that…" She paused for a moment, looking at him for a brief moment, before dropping her head and shrugging lightly, as if what she was about to say was of no significant importance. "…that I'm willing to start over."

_– want something like that._

~•~

"Don't do this," a stern, husky voice resounded through the fairly quiet hotel room, a slight warning seeming to be hidden beneath those simple words.

Itachi Uchiha was not an impatient person, but this woman and her childish antics were getting on his nerves, and he wasn't sure for how long he could keep this calm façade on.

"Why not?" the woman in question asked – more like _whined_, actually – once more, indignantly throwing her vibrant red hair over her shoulder. "I want to see Sasuke-kun!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands in delight. "I miss him so, _so_ much!" She turned around to face the mirror, one of her hands reaching up and wrapping around a lock of her hair. "And I bet he misses me, too," she added a few moments later, a slight smirk appearing on her face as memories of a few years ago came rushing back into her mind.

Itachi almost cringed upon seeing the expression on her face, preferring not to dwell too much on what was probably going on in that mind of hers. His assumptions regarding that subject were probably right, and to him, those memories weren't exactly what one could call _'pleasant'_. They reminded him of how foolish his little brother could be at times, and this naïveté of his, the one his actions had displayed at that time (and, if he were to guess, were still displaying, even now) wasn't something he was fond of.

Karin's family was friends with the Uchihas, and because of the fact that they used to live in the same city when they were younger, Itachi and his brother had known her ever since they were kids. To be honest, he'd never liked her. She, on the other hand, had been all over him at the beginning; as you can probably imagine, fifteen year old Itachi did not pay the least of his attention to a clingy ten-year-old, which made her turn her attention towards his little brother.

Sasuke's attitude towards her wasn't much different, though – he wasn't interested in her, and, just like his brother, he didn't bother to hide it. Unfortunately, things changed 180 degrees when his father came up with the arranged marriage idea. At first, he'd thought that what his little brother was trying to do was show his father – and everybody else, for that matter – that he had a girlfriend, that he was happy with her, and that the getting married to someone else would just ruin everything.

However, he soon found out that that was not it. Sasuke's purpose had _never _been to stop the marriage from happening – he was simply rebelling. Against his father, against this whole thing, against his future wife.

And _that_ was probably the stupidest, most childish thing he'd ever done. I mean, yes, he was in all his rights to be mad at his father, for he was the one who came up with this crazy idea, at _him_, for he was the one who was supposed to marry her but refused, and even at his mother, for she didn't make a move to stop this nonsense, to change Fugaku's mind, like she usually managed to do. But what did _Sakura _have to do with all this? Nothing – just like him, she was only a victim of the circumstances.

He had no right – or reason – to hurt her. And yet, that was the thing he went for. He made his relationship (_if_ it can be called that, since all they ever did was fuck) obvious _before _they were married, _after _they got married, and even _during _the wedding. Instead of being next to his wife, Sasuke was next to Karin; instead of talking to his wife, he was talking to Karin; instead of going home with his wife, he went to a hotel with Karin. Sakura didn't have to be a genius to realize what was going on between the two of them.

Fortunately, they were forced to break up when Karin's family moved away to another state. Now, it's true that Karin was then officially an adult, so she could have stayed with her precious Sasuke-_kun_ if she'd wanted to, but it's also true that she couldn't live without her Daddy – and his money, obviously. She'd looked pretty sad as that realization hit her, unlike his brother, who'd seemed truly relieved and at peace with the concept of her finally leaving. Two days later, he already had somebody else.

It was obvious he didn't give a damn about her, that he'd never actually cared, which is why Itachi wasn't so sure he'd be pleased to see her again. But that wasn't the only reason for which he didn't want to take the redhead to his brother's house. _Sakura._ The girl had been through more than enough already, and the last thing she probably needed at that point was Karin – of all the people – making her appearance again, and into her house, no less.

"Karin," he sighed exasperatedly, brining a hand up to massage his forehead. "You _have _to understand – you cannot go there."

"Yeah, yeah." The redhead rolled her eyes and turned to face him again, placing her hands on her hips. "I understand that, for some reason, you don't _want_ me to go there. But I can't phantom your reasons for it." She paused for a moment, before directly asking: "Why?" Did I mention she was stupid? Well, she was. Both stupid _and _stubborn – and the combination of those two was _extremely_ annoying.

It was Itachi's turn to roll his eyes. "Because he has a wife, that's why," he said, slowly, as if talking to a five-year-old. "That wife knows what happened between the two of you. There's no need to go flaunt it into her face, so if you want to meet Sasuke, do it _here_," he said, emphasizing the last word.

What was she even doing here? Why did she come back? Itachi didn't know. He could only guess that her presence had something to do with Neji's wedding (don't get me wrong, said person had never really liked her, either, but his family knew hers, as well), even though it was still early for that; the wedding was still a month or so away, and her family had yet to arrive. Given the fact that Itachi wasn't called a genius for nothing, though, he could confidently state that the reason for which she'd come here earlier than necessary was that she'd hope to, you know, _'relieve the experiences_' she'd had with Sasuke.

Itachi truly hoped that his little brother wasn't _that _stupid anymore.

"Okay," she started, snapping him out of his thoughts. "First of all: _is still happening_, mind you, 'cause my relationship with Sasuke-kun is not over yet," she stated confidently. "And second, he doesn't even love her! He loves _me,_" she emphasized, and the Uchiha couldn't help but roll his eyes. Leave it to Karin to think that, just because he'd fucked only her for a while, Sasuke loved her. "So why should I _not_ go there, huh?"

"Because, I already told you, his wif – "

"Forget about his wife already!" the girl shrieked, interrupting him. "He does _not_ love her!"

"It's not about love, you moron!" he finally snapped, standing up from his chair. "It's about respect! It's about _you_ respecting the fact that _they_ are married. Because, whether you like it or not, that isn't going to change – Sakura will remain his wife, and that house will remain hers."

"It's not _her _house," the redhead hissed, glaring at him.

Itachi nodded in agreement. "You're right," he said. "It's not _hers _– it's _theirs_. Can't you see? You have no place in all this."

"Oh, shut up," she spat, rolling her eyes, once again throwing her hair over her shoulder. "I'm going to see Sasuke-kun, and there's _no way_ you can stop me."

~•~

To say that he was shocked would be an understatement. It was hard to find the right words that would at least _begin_ to describe what he was feeling at this point, and his brain was too numb to ever try to do so. She was_ insane_ – that much was sure. So insane that all he could muster saying was a quiet, almost hesitant: "What…?"

Even to his own ears, his voice sounded strange – far away, muffled, as if he were underwater or something akin to that. It was clear that he hadn't been this shocked in a long time – probably ever since his father came up with this _wonderful_ idea that ruined both his and Sakura's life, although he'd been more angry than anything else back then.

Regardless, this situation was different – the complete opposite, actually. It wasn't his father who stood in front of him right now, waiting for him to go along with his decision, waiting for him to accept that the best was their family was for him to have his life ruined. _No._ Instead, it was Sakura; she, who even after all she'd suffered because of him, was offering him a second chance – a chance to make things right, a chance at a new life.

For a moment, the possibility of all this being a dream crossed his mind. But it wasn't long until he realized that it wasn't – this was reality, in each and every aspect.

And, this time, the decision belonged to him. _Completely._

Strangely enough, that possibility scared him, no matter how much he enjoyed being in control. What was he supposed to do? What should he say? What should he choose? Millions of questions were running through his mind at a dazzling speed, but the ones that stood out the most were probably those which regarded her. How in the world could she even make such an offer to him? What the hell was going on through that mind of hers? Was she crazy, or just playing with him?

"Willing to start over…?" he breathed, sounding downright horrified with the prospect. Or so Sakura thought. It hadn't been easy for her to make such a decision (and in such a short period of time, no less), but she'd truly thought it was for the best. Now…now she wasn't so sure anymore. Sasuke's reaction was _not _what she'd initially predicted – or, should I say, hoped for. He was silent and he refused to look at her; his face was void of any emotion whatsoever and his whole body was rigid, every muscle tense and taut.

What was she supposed to make out of that? That he didn't agree with her? That he thought her question was _incredibly _stupid? That he would never want – or _need_, for that matter – her second chance? Or perhaps that he was simply too shocked to give her a proper answer? She didn't know.

She only knew one thing: she'd left a door open, but he wasn't walking through, and she _couldn't_ force him to do so. No matter what – no matter the circumstances, no matter his reasons – the decision was his and his alone. She refused to interfere, to try to make it right on her own, for she'd done so the last time, and _this _was where it'd gotten them.

It was a while until he finally spoke – a coherent sentence, I mean. "That's stupid, Sakura."

Had the circumstances been any different, she would have probably punched him for saying something like that to her. But she couldn't do so now, for she was perfectly aware of the fact that he was right: it _was _stupid. "I know." And she had no problem with admitting it.

"After all I've done…" he trailed off, finally looking up and meeting her gaze. "After all I've put you through…you're willing to risk everything _again?_" he asked, an almost incredulous edge to his voice. "You're _really _willing to give me another chance?"

"Yes," she replied firmly, without hesitation. "There isn't much to lose, is it?" Because there really wasn't. They were already married and were going to spend the rest of their lives together, anyway, so why not give happiness another shot? For all she knew, with no secrets in between, it might actually work.

"I don't deserve that," he breathed.

Sakura shook her head. "No, don't say that," she told him. "Everybody deserves a second chance. You made a mistake – that's all." It was almost unbelievable, how she was making it seem so simple. "It wasn't even your fault. Just like it wasn't mine." She paused for a moment, biting her lower lip, before continuing: "And I want to give this – to give _us _– another chance."

"You're crazy," was his only answer, but she knew he hadn't meant that as an insult. Fighting the smile that threatened to take over her features proved to be a little too hard for her, and she soon gave up on it. "You're not sane, woman," he repeated softly, probably still in shock with her answers, his hand coming up to caress her cheek lightly.

Fully grinning now, Sakura leaned in and rested her forehead against his, whispering a quiet: "I know." The pinkette had no idea where this sudden boldness, this sudden _need _for contact, was coming from, but she didn't care.

The moment her lips met his, she knew she'd made the right choice. Nothing else truly mattered.

* * *

_A/N: I really hope the ending didn't seem rushed to you. I tried not to launch into some details that will surely find their place in the next chapter, and this is what came out. _

_To be honest, I didn't plan to make Sasuke "confess" so early in the story, but I thought that it would be a nice twist. All of his next actions will be based on something else than his so-called hate for his wife (like jealously, confusion and annoyance), and what has happened in this chapter will sometimes explain his behavior. Having Sakura so confused 'till the very end didn't sound very appealing, either. But you don't mind, now do you? I hope not._

_The reason for which I haven't updated in so long is the fact that I simply didn't have time to do so. For some reason or another, I kept being bombarded with homework during these past few weeks, and in the little free time I had, I wasn't able to get in the mood for writing. And if I wanted this chapter to turn out at least acceptable, getting 'in the mood' was absolutely necessary. _

_P.S: I can't possibly keep up with a posting schedule, so I decided not to force myself. Don't worry, though, knowing me, I'll probably update faster without one. _

_Now, I know you all missed my cookies. So, review! :)_


	14. An Unfortunate Interruption

_A/N: Hey, guys! I'm baaack! Thank you all for your reviews – I love you and the feedback you give me!  
_

_Enjoy this update!_

* * *

_**Incomplete**_  
_By The Terrorist_

_**Chapter fourteen:**_  
_An Unfortunate Interruption_

* * *

Sasuke had once been pretty sure of the fact that being able to hold her while she slept was heaven. Only now did he realize just how mistaken he'd been. Because if _that_ had been heaven, then how could _this_ be called?

Her initiative of kissing him had truly shocked him. The fact that she'd made such a decision was strange enough; kissing him took it to a whole different level – a level which he hadn't even dreamed of reaching so soon. Not that he was complaining about it, though…

Their lips moved together softly, almost affectionately, all the words they couldn't say – all the words that didn't _need_ to be said yet – being thrown into that simple action. Despite his reputation, Sasuke made no move to deepen the kiss, letting her lead and whole-heartedly agreeing with her unspoken decision of taking things slow. The Uchiha had no idea why both his mind and heart were telling him that this something they now had was special, but he knew that he couldn't afford rushing and ruining it.

A part of him tried to convince him that the only reason for which it seemed special was because she'd never thrown herself on him, because she'd managed to resist him for so long. Another part of him, though – the annoying one that, in spite of the absurdity of the things it always said to him, was right in the majority of the situations – denied that. It told him that this was different not because he'd never thought he would find himself doing something like this with his wife, but simply because _she_ was different, because she meant more to him than all the other women put together (and _that_ was a lot, trust me).

And he wasn't about to argue with that – Sakura _was_ someone special to him, and he had no problem with admitting it. She wasn't like other women – never been, never would – and that wasn't necessarily because they both had a certificate which attested that she was his wife; she wasn't special because he actually had a history with her (one that he wasn't particularly proud of, but a history, nonetheless), and she certainly wasn't special because, in spite of that, she'd just agreed to give him a second chance.

No. What made her so special were his feelings for her.

Don't get me wrong – he didn't love her. But, over the years, he had developed some feelings for her – feelings that he couldn't quite name yet. Affection was one of them, though; so was caring, and maybe even liking, and…well, probably a lot more. He wasn't about to start trying to sort through them and name them, right? Nah… Right now, he had other matters to attend to, other things to focus on. Like her and their kiss, for example.

Sasuke didn't know how much it all lasted – he didn't actually care, in the first place. At some point, the pinkette shifted slightly so that she was standing on her knees in front of him, breaking the kiss for a moment, but showing no intention whatsoever of moving away from him. Their foreheads remained resting against each other's, and their eyes opened on their own accord, instantly meeting.

Interesting, how he'd never noticed just how many shades of green mixed together in those orbs of hers. There was sea green, lime, army green, olive, teal, forest green, emerald…yeah, all of them. And they sparkled with so much emotion… Sasuke truly doubted he'd ever been able to read her so well by simply looking her in the eye. But now…now he could. Because she'd let her guard down in front of him – because, just as she'd said only a few minutes before, she _trusted_ him.

For some reason he could not understand yet, he didn't feel particularly comfortable with that. It was in his advantage – that, he couldn't deny. After all, when it came to their relationship, he had so many things to fix, that he should probably be glad that he didn't have to work on gaining her trust, as well. He should. But he didn't. Perhaps it was because he knew for a fact that it wouldn't turn out good for her. (And no, he had no idea since when the hell he began putting her happiness, her well-being before his own).

She, on the other hand, didn't seem to give a damn about it; that, or she wasn't even aware of it – Sasuke preferred not to waste time thinking about which one would be best.

With her kissing him once more, he had a feeling that would have been impossible, anyway. The moment she snaked her arms around his neck, all kind of thoughts erased from his mind, everything and everyone disappeared from around them, leaving him aware of only a few very specific things – her lips on his, her petite body against his, her soft perfume, her taste, her warmth, _her_. Unable to resist, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her even closer to him, until she was almost straddling his lap. She gasped into their kiss, not expecting him to do something like that, and he saw that as an opportunity to finally deepen it. Unfortunately, though, before things could go any further, the unmistakable sound of a cell-phone vibrating – rather loudly – somewhere near them forced them apart.

"Shit," he heard her mutter under her breath and frowned, briefly wondering if she was just as upset with the sudden interruption as he was. In a flash almost, she was off him and up on her feet, furiously running a hand through her pink locks as she bit lightly into her lower lip.

Despite her behavior, she made no move to actually answer the phone, something which Sasuke couldn't help but raise a questioning eyebrow at. "I have to meet the girls," she explained upon noticing the look he was sending her, slapping her forehead with her hand. "I'm _so_ stupid – I totally forgot!" Not that anybody could blame her, though; she was _really_ curious if any woman could think straight while being kissed by Sasuke. Or maybe it was just her and her lack of experience in this domain… but she highly doubted it.

"Don't," he replied bluntly, without even thinking about it beforehand. The pinkette's head snapped up at his words, and her eyes met his once more, a questioning glint in them. "You don't have to meet them," he continued. "Just tell them you can't."

Sakura shook her head. "They would _never_ leave me alone if I told them that."

"Then don't." He shrugged lightly, extending his hand and reaching out towards her before he could stop himself. "They won't kill you, I assure you."

"Of course not," she scoffed, giving no outward sign of acknowledgement as he took her hands in his. It was as if he'd been doing this gesture each day for the past two years and she'd already gotten used to it. "But they'll get mad."

The Uchiha rolled his eyes. "Who cares?" he muttered quietly, tugging slightly at her hand. He wasn't entirely sure why he was doing that – all he knew was that he'd liked the feeling of having her next to him way too much, and that he definitely wanted her back.

"Sasuke!" she exclaimed, a scolding edge to her voice, playfully hitting his shoulder; she would have wanted to sound angry or at the very least annoyed, but she wasn't quite able to stop the small smile from spreading onto her face. "You are _such_ an ass. Like, really. It seems like you weren't faking this part at all." No, he wasn't – that was just the way he was. And, somehow, she now realized that she _kind of_ liked it.

"Hn," was his only answer. And that was it – that was all it took. Strange as it seemed, it only served to make her smile widen; the happiness was made its way back into her eyes, and so did the trust, along with all his doubts, insecurities and questions. This time, however, he couldn't help but voice them. "Why are you doing this?"

He couldn't deny that, despite the fact that he hadn't hesitated at all (when did he, anyway?), he found it particularly difficult to question her on this matter. After all, she looked so sure of herself, so certain that he decision was the right one, that asking questions made everything seem like he was the stupid one here. And he wasn't. If anything, _she_ was stupid, for risking so much – for forgiving him and giving him a second chance.

Atop of that, she didn't even understand the meaning of his words. "Why am I doing what?" she asked, frowning lightly. "Why am I willing to go meet the girls after all this?" She'd thought he understood that part, really. "I already told you: I can't call them and say I'm not gonna make it, cause in that case, I'm going to have to provide them with an explanation, as well. Lying is not an option – not for me. And they would never leave me alone if I told them the truth right now. So I'm just gonna go meet them and pretend nothing happened. If luck is on my side, I'll probably be back in an hour or so." _There_. A more detailed explanation – he couldn't play confused after this one, for sure.

"Not that, idiot," he said, shaking his head. "I don't care why you want to go meet the girls," he said, and she almost rolled her eyes at his sincerity. "I just…it's just not right. Not the fact that you want to leave, but…but _this_."

Sakura didn't have to be a genius to realize what he'd meant by 'this'. "It's not right," she repeated, wanting to make sure she'd understood, as she regarded him with a strange look. What part of _'I'm willing to give this another chance'_ didn't he understand? And yes, she knew she didn't give him many reasons, but apart from the standard _'I want to try again cause I'm sure it might work'_, she didn't have another one. And, damn it, what was with him and having reasons for everything, anyway? "The fact that I want to give our marriage another shot is not right."

He nodded. "Don't look at me like that, Sakura," he told her. "It isn't. You know it, and I know it, and everybody knows it. After everything I've done to you…why are you so ready, so eager to give this another shot? For all you know, you might be preparing yourself for heartbreak. _Again_. So why…?" he trailed off, not so sure himself of what exactly he wanted to ask her. This was _so_ confusing. Everything about the way she'd reacted to his 'confession' was strange and unexpected, and he didn't understand one damn thing about it. Nothing. Not even a small little detail.

The fact that, at some point, the possibility of her doing this because she wanted to somehow get back at him (you know, like in the movies, when one character is mad at the other, but doesn't show it openly, choosing instead to act sickly sweet and friendly, so that he/she could catch him/her with his/her guard down and hit him/her where hurts the most?) crossed his mind should at least give you an idea of the total mess that was inside his head right now.

To Sakura, however, everything was crystal clear. She had no idea what had gotten him so troubled, though, and she would be a liar if she said that all his questions weren't getting a bit annoying by now. Regardless, she knew she had to talk this out with him. Because if not, he would definitely spend too much time thinking about it, and who knew what kind of conclusions he would get to? Evidently, it was lack of communication that got them here; and if there was something – _anything_ – she could do in order for her to prevent this from having the same outcome, she would do it without hesitation. Even if that meant dealing with an annoyingly confused man, who, above all that, was stubborn and determined to make her – and everybody else, for that matter – see things his way.

"…Why am I willing to take a chance?" she spoke, attracting his attention once more. "Because, can't you see? That is what our lives are made of – taking chances. When you do something – whatever that something is – you must be aware of the fact that you might be sailing towards failure – there's _always_ that possibility. But that's what makes it even more interesting, more palpitating. Knowing that one wrong step could ruin everything…it's stressful, but necessary. How else would you push yourself not to make mistakes? How else would you learn how not to make the same mistake twice? How else would you get to cherish every passing moment, to live every day like it's your last?"

"We fail, we move on: that's what this whole thing is about. What matters is that we're alive; and that while we're still alive, we can always try again." She paused for a moment, rolling her eyes as the idea popped into her head, before continuing: "It's not like I love you so much that I can't possibly let you go. That's bullshit. I don't. And I'm well aware of the fact that you don't, either." Of course she was aware of it - and she'd already accepted it. They weren't two people in love. They were two people that were trying to build a live together.

The difference between those two sentences was astonishing. Sakura had once thought that love was essential in a marriage, but her opinion had now changed, thanks to her own experience in this domain. Harmony, peace, trust, respect…_those_ were the real things needed for a relationship to work. The rest were details.

Sure, it was perfect if love came in time. She wouldn't complain if that happened in her situation, as well; actually, that would be preferable. But if there was one thing she'd learned from this experience, that was the fact that dreams don't always come true; in life, you must take the best out of everything you get, and learn to conform with it. Otherwise, all you'll manage to do is give yourself a headache trying to find reasons for which other people seem to have everything and you nothing; and that is most definitely _not_ the key to happiness.

So Sakura was more than ready to face the consequences of her actions – however those would turn out. Good or bad. Painful or pleasant. Happy or sad. Because, this time, she would know how exactly to handle them so that she would get hurt as little as possible.

And it wasn't like she wouldn't care if this turned out to be a bad idea, if he hurt her again; but, regardless of the outcome, one last try would at least bring her peace of mind. She would know that this marriage didn't work out for a series of reasons (because it wasn't meant to be, because they were too different, because of something he or she did, etc.), not because the two of them was too stubborn to give it a shot. Upon looking back, she would have no regrets; she would only have memories – memories like this one, memories that she would cherish forever.

And _that_ was what truly mattered.

Going back to the point, the pinkette wasn't so sure that love was needed right now, anyway. With the situation being so complicated and all that, they certainly didn't need such overwhelming feelings to cloud their judgment, to influence their decisions. Why? Because it would only make this harder than it already was.

Starting over was easier said than done. They needed strong will, but also cautiousness. She could offer him her absolute trust, but he would have to work hard not to break it. He could open up to her, but she would have to be careful not to say or do something that would force him back into his shell. You see, just because he'd been the 'negative character' in this story of theirs, that didn't mean that he was the only one who had to make this work. No, relationships weren't like that. It would be hard for both of them.

While they worked to build everything that had been built for them, to make every decision that had been made for them – and to do it right, of course – they did not need feelings to interfere. It was like they needed to go back in time and take their relationship from the very beginning, making progress step by step. And when they would finally get to the stage where they could happily say that being married seemed right, _that_ was the part in which "I love you's" could be exchanged. But until then, no.

"But that's not the point," she continued, shaking her head lightly. Taking a step forward, she cupped his face within her hands, forcing him to look at her in an effort to be more persuasive. "We _can_ make this work. We _can_ make a change for the better. We _can_ still build a live together without feeling the need to kill each other every time our eyes meet. What you did was a big mistake – nothing more, nothing less. I got over it the moment you explained it to me. It's high time you did so, as well."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" he hissed, grabbing her wrists in a tight grip and pulling her hands away from his face, but not letting them go as he spoke. "It wasn't _just_ a big mistake, Sakura! I ruined your life! You can't possibly be this naïve! You can't – "

She didn't let him finish. "Stop it!" she said, her voice louder than before, snatching her hands away from his. "Stop acting all emo on me!" Had the circumstances been any different, he would have probably smirked at her choice of words. But given the fact that they were actually directed to him, he settled for a light glare. "Stop thinking so much! You've always done so, and look at where it got us. So stop. Just for once, stop thinking and just…_feel_," she finished softly. "Leaving aside all prejudices, all doubts, all insecurities, all questions…leaving aside everything…tell me, doesn't this feel like the right thing to do?" She'd like to see him try to deny it, really; it would undoubtedly be fun – watching him struggle to do so, only to give up in the end.

Unfortunately, he seemed to have no intention whatsoever of doing so. "Hn." The bastard wasn't stupid – he knew she'd made the right choice. When dealing with him, though, a very annoying "But – " was always present. Because no matter how smart he was, his mind just lacked the capability of understanding simple things.

"Why should I hold a grudge against you, Sasuke?" she cut him off, placing her hands on her hips as she awaited for his answer. As expected, it never came, so she continued: "Why should I hate you? I have reasons, yes, so I _could_." He'd taken care of giving her all the reasons in the world. "But why _should_ I? Give me one good reason for which I should act stubborn and not give you another chance, and maybe your wish will be granted and I'll change my mind."

There was no reason, he knew. And she knew it, as well. That was probably why she'd asked him something like that, in the first place.

She'd wanted to make him understand that her decision wasn't as strange, as stupid and as irrational as he was making it seem. She'd wanted to make him aware of the fact that, even if she didn't have reasons to give him a second chance, she didn't have reasons _not_ to do so, either. She'd wanted to make him see that the past could be left behind, no matter how consistent in bad things it was. She'd wanted to make him comprehend that there was still hope for them. Obviously, she'd managed to do so. _Somehow_, she did.

She did something that no one else (aside from his mother) had managed to do before: she'd changed his mind, his way of seeing things.

And when that realization finally hit him, there was just no way he could have stopped himself from pulling her to him and kissing her. He truly doubted he'd even given it as much as a second thought. But it didn't matter – at least not now. The kiss was different from the other, and that wasn't necessarily because he'd been the one to initiate it this time. No, it was probably mainly because there was no hesitation from either of them, no questions on how their actions would be perceived by the other. Instead, there was a sense of urgency that hadn't been there the last time they'd kissed. It was as if he couldn't get enough of her, as if she'd disappear at any moment; as if he was trying to show her something not even he could understand.

Maybe it was normal for him to feel all that. Maybe it was normal for him to feel scared, no matter how weird that sounded. He'd never been in a real relationship, and experiencing this for the first time with Sakura didn't sound like the best things to do. This was a situation in which he was supposed to be sure of himself, sure of every word that came out of his mouth and of every action that he initiated. However, he wasn't. And he couldn't help but –

Suddenly, his thoughts were cut off by a loud shriek that resounded through the whole house. "Sasuke-kuuun!" At the sound of that high-pitched voice they both seemed to remember perfectly, Sasuke and Sakura instantly broke apart; the pinkette wasted no second in moving off his lap (briefly wondering just how exactly she'd gotten there, in the first place) and standing up, her head automatically turning towards the door at the same time Sasuke's did.

To say that he was shocked to see that woman there would be an understatement. And if that's how it was like for him, then he didn't even want to imagine what Sakura was probably feeling at this point. She'd always hated Karin, and he couldn't blame her for it. After all, it was _him_ who'd cheated on her with the redhead and it was _him_ who hadn't even bothered with being discrete about it. Even today, he wasn't sure why exactly he'd tried so hard to make his wife aware of the fact that he had another woman; one thing he was sure of, though: out of everything he'd done to her, that had been the stupidest, most idiotic thing. And he regretted it with every fiber of his being. Especially now, after all this.

"What the fuck are you doing in my room?" It seemed like an eternity since he'd last heard her hiss so coldly. The anger was evident in her voice, along with a tinge of confusion, irritation, discomfort and maybe even hurt. It was obvious that she wasn't happy with her presence (which was completely understandable), and he could only hope that she wouldn't somehow associate it with him. Really, that was the last thing he needed at this point.

Karin scoffed, regarding her with an almost amused look. "_Your_ room?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "Honey, wake up. This is Sasuke-kun's house and I can enter whenever and wherever I want, okay?" Truth to be told, he'd forgotten how incredibly stupid she could be at times; and how she could be completely aware of the fact that she was not wanted in a place, that there were people that would rather spend the day with an ugly frog than deal with her, but not give a damn. Sasuke truly believed that the only way to get her off his back was to kill her. _Seriously_.

"What are you doing here, Karin?" he sighed as he ran a hand through his inky locks, standing up as well. He was a little surprised when she didn't latch herself to him right away, but he shook the thought off as soon as it formed. She didn't act like it and she definitely didn't want to accept it, but the redhead knew it was all over between them; she also knew how little patience he had, so if you looked at it that way, it seemed only normal for her to restrain herself from initiating any kind of physical contact with him. And thank God for that.

As soon as she realized that he'd addressed her, her face brightened considerably, and, suddenly, all her attention was focused on him. "Sasuke-kun, aren't you happy to see me?" The answer would be no. And he had to try _really_ hard to keep himself from saying it out loud. "I came as soon as I got your message – _of course_ I want to be your partner! When's the wedding?"

Wait. What?

His eyes widened at her words, his mind having trouble processing what she'd just said; then he finally realized the magnitude of it all and turned towards his wife, praying to every God he knew that she was smart enough to realize that Karin was just playing with her. He had no such luck. The pinkette was shocked – that much was obvious – but it was the kind of shock that is teetering on disbelief, the kind of shock people feel when they're given bad news, the kind of shock that is always followed by pain.

She turned her head to look at him, as well, and the way her eyes glistened with betrayal made his heart clench painfully in his chest. He wanted to shout that Karin's words weren't true, he wanted to smack her over the head for believing such lies; he wanted to kick the redhead out of the room, out of the house, out of his – _their_ – life. And he would have done so, really, because, for some reason or another, this…thing they now had seemed more important to him than anything else.

But she didn't give him a chance to do so. "Get out," she whispered without breaking eye-contact. "Get the fuck out both of you!"

"Sakura…" he breathed, trying to reason with her.

It only resulted in her screaming, though. "I said, get out!"

"Honey, I hope you're aware of the fact that screaming can cause premature wrinkles. So does stress, and – " Karin began, obviously satisfied with the outcome of this situation, but ended up being cut off, as well.

"Get. Out!" she yelled. "I don't care what you two have to say! This is my room, and I want both of you out! Now!"

Never in his life had the Uchiha been more reluctant to do as was asked of him. But he knew that, if he wanted to have a serious conversation with his wife, getting rid of Karin was a must. So, first things first, right?

* * *

_A/N: Grr, evil Karin. She's such a bitch and I so do not like her, but when the story calls for a little 'this is my man, biatch!' kind of action, she just can't be left out. Wait till evil Sakura comes out to play. Now that will definitely be fun to write - I can't wait._

_Sorry for the length of this chapter. I know I've spoiled you guys with long, 7,000+ words chapters, and it's been my intention to keep doing so till the very end of the story, but I decided it would be better if I cut it there. Add a bit of suspense and what not, ya know? Don't worry, though, I don't plan on making you guys wait long until the next update. I will do my best for the next chapter to be up before spring break is over, but still, I can't make any promises. _

_Check my blog for teasers. Usually, the chapter is posted two or three days after it. ;)_

_1 review = 1 cookie. With chocolate. Or whatever you guys like most. So review, please!_

_P.S: Happy Easter, everybody! xD_


	15. She'll Be Back

_A/N: Hello! Just a quick update – like old times, remember? It's just that this wave of inspiration hit me sometime on Saturday morning and lasted until Monday, time in which I managed to write the majority of this chapter. The only thing left was to link the pieces together and edit the chapter, which took me a while, but whatever. I have the right to be lazy every once in a while, don't I? _

_I can't believe this story has 700+ reviews already! You guys are amazing – you help me immensely, sometimes probably without even realizing it! So a HUGE thank you to all of my reviewers! I promise I'll do my best not to let you down – ever! XD_

_Enjoy the chapter!_

_

* * *

_

_**Incomplete**__  
By The Terrorist_

_**Chapter fifteen**__  
She'll Be Back_

_

* * *

_

As soon as the door slammed behind them, Sasuke's hand was gripping her upper arm, forcefully dragging her away until they reached the top of the stairs.

"Sasuke-kun!" she whined, not pleased at all with the way he was acting towards her. Sure, she'd known he would get mad because she'd lied to Sakura and probably gotten him in trouble with her, but that didn't mean she enjoyed dealing with the consequences. When did she ever? "You're hurting me!"

"What the fuck was that?" he hissed as he abruptly let go of her, ignoring her complaints. This woman had ruined everything he and Sakura had managed to build, and he wasn't in the mood to put up with her childishness. "Speak!"

Deliberately ignoring his request, Karin took her time in answering, as she pretended to look busy by tending to her 'hurt' arm. "What do you mean?" she asked hesitantly, looking up at him with seemingly innocent eyes.

"What wedding are you talking about?" he snapped, annoyed with her behavior. "What partner, what message?!"

"Neji's wedding, of course," she scoffed, rolling her eyes. "And I _know_ you haven't sent me any type of message, but she doesn't need to know that, now does she?" She paused for a moment, frowning lightly as an idea popped into her head. "Come on, it's not like you're actually planning on taking her with you to that wedding."

Gritting his teeth against the need to lash out the _colorful_ string of words that came to his mind, Sasuke settled for a simple: "That's not your problem." Not that he was reluctant to curse her, but he preferred not to have her know about him and Sakura – or, in case that wasn't possible, to have her know the least possible – and screaming at her would definitely clue her in. Really, the last thing he needed at this point was Karin trying to destroy their relationship (if it could be called that and if she hadn't _already_ destroyed it, of course). "

"You know, it kind of is," she replied, rolling her eyes once more. "Because – "

"Karin, let's get this straight," he cut her off, wanting to put an end to this situation as soon as possible so that he could go tend to his wife. "Even if I _didn't_ intent to take Sakura to the wedding, I would never ask _you_ to accompany me instead." Her shocked – almost horrified, actually – gasp was completely ignored as he continued: "What we once had is over, and I have no intention whatsoever of making up" – he almost cringed at how that sounded – "with you. Learn how to deal with it. And now go," he told her. "I have other things to do."

"But Sasuke-kun!" she screeched childishly, pouting lightly and crossing her arms over her chest.

The Uchiha knew she hadn't gotten it – it was simply impossible for her minuscule brain to process something so quickly, especially when it came to letting go. He was still rather surprised that, even after all these years, she came here with the obvious intention of picking up from where they left off. "Leave, Karin." He didn't care about any of those, though. Sure, he was aware of the fact that he would have to deal with her at some point in the near future, seeing as it wasn't like her to give up so easily, but that could definitely wait until he set things right with Sakura.

The redhead sighed quietly at his answer, some kind of understanding showing in her eyes. "I see you're not in a good mood, Sasuke-kun," she said, shaking her head lightly. "Talking to you right now is pointless. I'll come tomorrow, okay?" she asked as she extended her hand with the intention of caressing his cheek. She didn't make it that far, though, for he slapped it away before it even managed to touch him. "Yeah." She nodded, as if his previous action had just proved something. "I'll come back tomorrow," she said decisively, then turned and left before Sasuke had a chance to utter a loud and firm 'no'.

And as much as he wanted to run after her and kick some sense into her, he decided not to. Because, right now, Sakura was his main priority, not the redhead.

The Uchiha knew she was mad – angry, hurt, confused – and that the last person she wanted to see at this point was him, but he _had_ to explain this to her – he had to tell her that all this was just a huge misunderstanding. That he hadn't known about Karin, that he hadn't invited her to go anywhere with him, that what had once been between the two of them was long over. He needed to tell her, and she needed to listen.

"Sakura," he called as he came to stand in front of her bedroom, knocking lightly on the door. As expected, there was no answer, and when he tried the doorknob, he realized it was locked. Upon seeing that, despite the current circumstances they found themselves in, Sasuke couldn't help the tinge of annoyance that leaked into his system. I mean, _sure_ she was in all her rights to be mad (considering the fact that, really, after all he'd done to her, she had no reason to doubt Karin's words), but hadn't they just had a very serious discussion about their relationship?

Hadn't she agreed to give him a second chance, regardless of the things he'd done in the past and the consequences they'd had on the present? Hadn't they just established (non-verbally, yes, but still) that the only way this could work was if they opened up to each other? If, every time they got mad, annoyed or simply had doubts about something, they would sit down and talk about it, instead of closing themselves off and releasing their frustration on each other by fighting? Sasuke was pretty sure about that, really.

But his wife seemed to have forgotten about it already – either that or she was currently too blinded by the anger she'd previously displayed. "Sakura, open the door." It hadn't been his intention to make it sound like a demand, but he wasn't quite able to stop himself from doing so.

The pinkette was obviously not pleased with it._ "Go away!" _Her voice sounded muffled and slightly hoarse; in spite of her rather good acting skills, Sasuke could easily tell just how hard she tried to keep it firm and even. She had been crying – no doubt about that. To say that that realization made him want to run after Karin and strangle her with his own hands didn't entirely cover for what it awoke inside of him. _"Leave me the hell alone! Go!"_

"Sakura," he pressed, determined to do this, to make her listen to him. They had something now, regardless of the fact that they didn't even know what it was, and, believe it or not, he actually kind of liked it. So much that he couldn't – and wouldn't – allow himself to fuck things up again. "Open the door." He paused for a moment, sighing quietly as he took in her loud, negative answer, before continuing: "We have to talk."

"_No, we don't!"_ she hissed._ "Everything is extremely clear to me, so I refuse to waste my time listening to your lies!"_

"Sakura, please." He couldn't even remember the last time that word left his mouth, but, at this point, it didn't actually matter. This wasn't a game in which appearances and facades had to be kept – not anymore. This was serious – it was about their life, their future. And he'd do _anything_ to ensure that, this time, he got it right. "I didn't know about Karin! I didn't know she was in town and I most certain didn't invite her here! What had once been between me and she is over – it's been over for years! Sakura, I don't even know what she's tal – "

"_Would you shut up?!"_ Her words were followed by a loud bang at the door, a sign that she was right on the other side of it. _"I don't want to see you, I don't want to hear you, I don't want to fucking talk to you! So get the fuck away from the door and leave me alone!"_

"Sakura – " he started, but ended up being cut off once more.

"_How could you do something like that, Sasuke?"_ she shouted, her voice cracking lightly at the end in a way that made his heart clench painfully in his chest. She was crying. Damn it, he made her cry again! _"How could you…her? Of all the people, of all the girls out there…why her, huh? Why?" _To any other person, her question might have sounded stupid and childish, might have made everything seem like she simply hated her too much to have her around her husband, like she was only jealous and overreacting, but _not_ to him.

Because he knew this problem ran deeper than one could even imagine.

What he and Karin had once done to her had been mean and fully intentional; he'd _wanted_ to do those things to her, and she'd realized it from the very beginning. The fact that, back then, she'd had no idea why exactly he was behaving that way, why he seemed so keen on hurting her, only made things worse. Sasuke knew that many of the wounds he'd inflicted on her had yet to heal, and this was, without a doubt, one of them. That was probably the reason why she'd reacted like that to her presence, to her words.

The pinkette had said she trusted him, and he knew she'd been sincere, as she'd admitted it herself that she wasn't particularly happy about it, but even so, he wasn't completely sure about it. He _couldn't_ be. The heart and the mind didn't always agree, and trusting somebody who had caused you so much pain wasn't easy; no matter how confident she was about it, she might be lying to herself without even realizing it.

Or maybe he was just being pessimistic about this whole thing – maybe his brain _still_ hadn't wrapped completely around the fact that she'd forgiven him so easily. Maybe thanks to his actions, thanks to those times when he'd pushed away all his thoughts (and, along with that, basically everything that made sense to him) and let his feelings take over, she hadn't been lying when she'd confessed that, for some reason or another, she trusted him. But seeing him and Karin together had probably ruined it in an instant.

As soon as she'd seen the redhead, as soon as she'd heard her words, she'd probably been reminded of _that_ time, of that unfortunate period of her life, when she'd been naïve and trusty, when she'd truly hoped that she could make this work, only to have the two of them gang up on her and hurt her as much as possible. No wonder she'd reacted like that.

God, if only she let him explain…

"_Look, just…just go, okay?"_ An unexplainable feeling curled in the pit of his stomach at the sound of her voice – quiet, soft and defeated. He'd never been a man for physical contact, but right now, all he wanted to do was hug her. Hug her and kiss her and comfort her and protect her and show her that she was safe with him.

If he were to be honest with himself, he'd admit that the latter wasn't completely true – she wasn't safe with him (at least not when it came to her feelings). …But was it so bad that he _wanted_ her to be? That, at this point, he felt more than ready to change and be the person she'd probably always wanted him to be? That he wanted to take care of her, like he should have done from the very beginning? No, it wasn't. She deserved it – after everything she'd been through, she deserved _that_ and even _more_.

It wasn't that easy, though. "Sakura…" he murmured, placing his hands flat on the door. It was so frustrating, not being able to touch her, to soothe her somehow, when she was right on the other side of it. It made him want to tear it down, really. But he wouldn't do something like that – not when she'd made it clear that she didn't want to talk to him.

"_Just go…"_ she told him. _"I – I need some time. So, please, just…just go." _As much as it pained him, Sasuke decided to listen to her for now. It had been a rough day – she only needed time to sort things out. Both of them had done so many mistakes, taken so many wrong paths…but she was aware of that – they both were.

So, surely, she'd known what she was getting herself into when she told him she'd give him a second chance – she'd known it wouldn't be easy. _…Right?_

"When you…when you want to talk," he started, wanting her to know that he could – and would – give her all the time she needed _without_ being a bastard about it, "I'll be downstairs."

~•~

'_Okay, pull yourself together, Sakura,'_ the pinkette lectured herself as stood leaning against the counter in her bathroom, staring at her reflection in the mirror. _'He wouldn't do something like this to you – you know he wouldn't. Of all the things, your husband is _not_ a liar. The only person he's ever lied to is himself. You know that. Communication is the key to all problems – yesterday is enough proof of that. And you promised you'd trust him. You promised you'd try your best to make this shit work. You can't choose to be a fucking hypocrite now. You've gotta go down there and talk to him. You've gotta give him a chance to explain all this to you, to continue whatever he might have had to say last night. You _have_ to – there's no other option.'_

The day before, she'd reacted impulsively and stupidly; she'd let herself be ruled by her emotions, by her hatred – the hatred she undoubtedly felt towards that woman and the hatred she couldn't help but feel towards her husband, as well, every time she thought back to that period of her life.

Karin's words had caught her with her guard down, and hit far too close to home for her to be able to analyze them right away; if she had, the only conclusion she could have come up to would have sounded something like: _'he's a jerk and he doesn't deserve shit from what I'm willing to give him. I've been an idiot thinking that this could actually work, that he could change and that I could give him another chance'._ And after telling him that he was forgiven, after convincing him that she was really willing to try again, regardless of what he'd done to her in the past, that would have been stupid, confusing and plain mean. Not to mention that it would have probably brought her the award of 'The Most Hypocritical Person on Earth'.

She'd wanted to listen to Sasuke's explanation more than anything, but her brain just refused to cooperate. Too much was simply too much – and she'd had enough for the day. So Sakura refrained herself from thinking the subject over, choosing instead to get under the covers of her bed and get some sleep. Although not before sending the girls a quick text message, telling them that she wouldn't make it, and then turning her phone off so that they couldn't bug her with phone-calls.

It had undoubtedly been the best choice. With her mind clear and all those negative emotions gone, Sakura could finally think rationally and see things clearly. There were only two major possibilities, she realized, and none of them portrayed Sasuke as guilty enough for her to regret having given him a second chance.

The Uchiha _could_ have invited the redhead to the wedding, but that had undoubtedly happened before all this ('all this' being the standard label for yesterday's events). But Sakura doubted he had, in the first place. Why? Well, there were a series of reasons…

First of all, the Sasuke she knew would _never_ do something as childish as inviting someone else to accompany him to his best friend's wedding (which also happened to be _her_ best friend's wedding), just because he and his wife didn't get along particularly well. He used to do things akin to those in the past, yes, but he'd always made sure of flaunting them into her face; this time, however, not only she'd just found out about it the day before, but also, he hadn't been the one to tell her.

Second, Sakura wasn't sure he even knew how to do something of this caliber – AKA, inviting someone to a formal event. Because Sasuke didn't know how to ask – he just demanded. And while Sakura was pretty sure Karin wouldn't have refused, even if he'd done it like that, she had a feeling that, when it came to women, Sasuke didn't even have to _demand_ – they would give him anything, regardless of what that was.

And _of course,_ there was always the possibility of Karin having said that just to set her off.

She had always hated the redhead, and said person reciprocated her feelings completely, so Sakura wouldn't be surprised if her assumptions turned out to be true. Karin was annoying and childish; she was spoiled and deeply infatuated with Sasuke. Some might say that she was a whore, as well. But if there was something Karin was not (had never been and would probably never be), that was _stupid_. Many people were fooled into believing the otherwise, but Sakura knew better. She might not know how to use her intelligence in the right manner, but she surely knew how to use it to her advantage when the circumstances pressured her. Like now, for example.

Sasuke had never loved the redhead – he'd only used her to hurt his wife, and even though Sakura was pretty sure she was aware of it, Karin had never seemed to mind. Either that or she was _really_ retarded when it came to recognizing and acknowledging one's feelings for her. She had always acted like she owned him, like _she_ was his wife and _Sakura_ the bitch who was trying to steal him. Needless to say, she'd done everything she could in order to hurt her, or to help Sasuke with that task. At this point, things didn't seem to have changed much.

And as if that wasn't enough, Karin had probably felt threatened, too. After all, she _did_ find the two of them in her room _and_ kissing – really, there was just _no_ way she couldn't have seen that. It was the simple fact that she hadn't said a thing about it, that made Sakura believe more in this possibility.

'_And she's gotta get her ass kicked for that!'_ a part of her remarked, excited with the prospect of grabbing her ridiculous red hair and clear the floor with her. Had the circumstances been any different, Sakura would have probably listened to it, but her priority was now Sasuke. Everything else could wait. With that thought in mind, the pinkette quickly made her way out of the bathroom and, after locating and pulling on the closest pair of shoes that matched her outfit, out of her bedroom, hell bent on having a conversation with her husband as soon as possible.

She had no idea if he was still home, seeing as it was past the time he usually went to work, but that wasn't such an important detail. He'd told her to come to him when she felt ready to talk, so if she had to go get him at the company, she would do so without a second's hesitation.

As soon as she got in the living room, though, she was met with a view that couldn't be labeled as 'pleasant', a view that made her stop dead in her tracks. There, spread all over _her_ couch, with her feet up on _her_ coffee table, reading one of _her_ magazines…was the redhead. She seemed very happy and comfortable, familiar with her surroundings, as if she belonged there – which she _so_ did not. She looked up as she heard someone approaching, a smirk making its appearance onto her features as the pinkette came to stand in front of her.

"Feeling better, sweetie?" she asked, her sarcasm hidden pretty well, raising an eyebrow. "I mean, you know you can't react like _that_ every time you see something you don't particularly like. It's bad for both your eyes and your reputation, really," she mocked her, obviously pleased with the extent her words had affected her to.

To be honest, Karin had always found Sakura innocent and insecure, thus very easy to hurt and confuse – which was probably one of the reasons why she enjoyed 'attacking' her so much. The girl didn't know if she was like that only in matters regarding her marriage (since she had reasons for being insecure when it came to that), but that wasn't exactly relevant, since she didn't _care_ for other type of matters. Don't get me wrong, she had nothing against the pinkette – except for the fact that she had something that was hers.

Last night's incident was, for the lack of a better word, _disturbing_. The redhead knew Sasuke pretty well, so she hadn't expected to find him single, or to have him all over her from the very first moment he saw her; she'd been aware of the fact that he must have found somebody else by now, but she would have never guessed that that somebody else was none other than his wife. Still, that kiss left her with no need for questions, as everything was crystal clear: at some point while she was gone, he and Sakura had _somehow_ gotten together.

Judging by the manner in which Sakura had kicked both of them out of her room, by her screams and by the way Sasuke had tried to reason with her later on (and yes, she did linger around the house a little more, in search for clues that would undoubtedly come in handy later on), Karin would say that their…_relationship_ was rather new. Which meant that they had yet to work out the mistakes from their past, had yet to love and trust each-other unconditionally. And she planned on completely taking advantage of that and of every other little thing she could find.

Ruining everything would be _so_ easy, that she found herself actually looking forward to it. The first blow had already been delivered. Now Sakura most likely thought that her husband had been playing with her all along, that he had cheated on her, and although it had led to Sasuke kicking her out of the house (because, even if it didn't seem like it, she _did_ realize what he was trying to do, mind you), Karin couldn't be happier with it.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" And by the way the pink-haired woman was looking at her right now, by the way she'd spoken to her, Karin could say that the second blow was only seconds away. Ha, she'd known that coming here so early in the morning was a good idea!

Sakura was confused. Confused _and_ annoyed. And God knows how much she despised that combination. What was she doing here? Did she leave the night before? And if she didn't, she at least slept in a room of her own, right? Sasuke didn't sleep with her, did he? No. No, he couldn't have. He might be a jerk and all that, but he wouldn't do something like that – at least not after everything he'd told her the day before. …Right? Yes. It _had_ to be right – it just had to. And Sakura _had_ to trust him.

Besides, Karin wasn't even wearing the same clothes as yesterday. That might not seem like unquestionable proof to everybody else, but to Sakura it was. Because everybody who had at least talked to the redhead once, knew that she was insolent enough so that, in a situation like this, she wouldn't bother hide what she'd been doing the night before by putting some clothes on. So if the pessimistic side of her had been right, Karin would have been wearing only Sasuke's shirt right now. And she _wasn't_.

"Well," she began, capturing her attention, "I've been thinking about this, and I've come to the conclusion that somebody like _me_ shouldn't spend like, a whole month in a hotel room," she said, flipping a lock of vibrant red hair over her shoulder. In response, Sakura only raised her eyebrows expectantly, choosing not to mention how incredibly _stupid_ she was. "So…I'm gonna be straight about this – I want you to move your stuff out of my room as soon as possible." She smirked, before adding: "You'd do me a _huge_ favor if you got down to business immediately."

The pinkette blinked, her brain having trouble wrapping around what Karin had just said. "Excuse me?"

"Honey, you catch on so hard, don't you?" she said, a sweet smile present on her features for a few seconds, before disappearing in an instant. "I want you to move out of MY room."

It took Sakura a few seconds to respond. "What?!" she screamed, so loud that she had a feeling the neighbors might have heard her. "Who the fuck do you think you are, bitch? That's MY room. This is MY house. And Sasuke is MY husband – _mine!_ For God's sake, what part of that can't you understand?! Are you _that_ stupid?"

It had been a long time since she last felt so angry, and Sakura was more than ready to launch herself at Karin and strangle her. "Sakura." Thankfully (because the idea of spending the rest of her life in jail didn't sound so appealing), though, his voice stopped her before she could even open her mouth to insult her more. "That's enough."

Sasuke was tired and annoyed; he hadn't slept well the night before, and his head hurt like hell because of all the thinking he'd done instead (which, of course, got him nowhere). He awoke in a rather bad mood, only to have to put up with Karin's arrival (yes, _again_) and to realize, hours later, that his wife had no intention whatsoever of talking to him anytime soon. The last thing he needed at this point was listening to the two of them screaming at each other, and if he had to make that clear by telling _Sakura_ to shut up, he would do it without hesitation. He could only hope that she was calm enough not to interpret his words wrongly – which she should be, really, considering the amount of time she'd taken to think things through and get out of her room.

"Oh." But he soon found out that she wasn't. "So, I take you're on her side, then?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest as she stared up at him.

Sasuke sighed. Leave it to Sakura to turn something like this into some kind of game. "I'm on no one's side," he said, locking eyes with hers in an effort to prevent her from getting mad at him because of his words. After all, he _was_ her husband, so it was only normal for her to expect him to be on her side; which he was – this just wasn't the right time to acknowledge that. Because Karin wasn't worth that much – and the pinkette should know it. "Karin won't be here forever – it won't kill you to put up with her for a few days."

When he saw hurt and shock mix in her eyes again, he knew she hadn't understood. And it took every ounce of his willpower not to grab her hand, take her to his office and make her sit down and listen to _everything_ he had to say – starting with what happened yesterday, and finishing with his words from today. Because, really, she seemed to lack the capability of understanding him. And while he couldn't blame her for it, he couldn't congratulate her, either; if she wanted this to work, she would have to start learning – and soon.

Unfortunately, he was at a total loss of what to do at this very moment. "Of course," she whispered, her voice soft as her eyes bore into his; she nodded and swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat, absolutely refusing to cry in front of them, before turning to face Karin again. "Of course," she repeated, this time louder, more confidently, and addressing the redhead. "My dear Karin, go ahead, make yourself comfortable in my house, in my room, and, why not, in my husband's bed! You can have it all – actually, consider it a present from me. Because the last thing I need…" she trailed off for a moment, turning her head to look at him as she spoke, her voice considerably softer, quieter, "…is him."

Those were the last words she said to him before storming out of the living room, though not before throwing Karin one last glare; moments later, he heard the front door opening, then loudly slamming closed – her signature display of anger – and, suddenly, the urge to strangle the redhead in front of him returned.

"Aww, sorry Sasuke-kun," she said, even though she knew he didn't believe one word of it. After all, she hadn't really done much to hide the fact that she was happy with the outcome. Why should she, anyway? It certainly wouldn't make a difference. "Did I ruin something?"

"Wasn't that your intention?" he snapped back, throwing her one of his famous death-glares.

The redhead's smirk grew wider. "Maybe," she admitted, shrugging lightly. "But now that I think about it…ruin what, Sasuke-kun? You two have _nothing_ – that's obvious even to me." And she had no intention of keeping that to herself, despite the fact that she knew it was likely for Sasuke to get annoyed because of it.

"Shut up!" was his only answer, confirming her suspicions.

With a sigh and a slight roll of her eyes, Karin flopped back down on the couch (because, of course, she was up on her feet from the moment Sasuke made his appearance), and pulled the previously abandoned magazine back into her lap. It was a few moments until she spoke again: "Is she _really_ coming back after this?"

Sasuke's answer was immediate. "Yes, she is," he said firmly. "She always is," he added in a whisper. "And by the time she does so, I want you gone. _For good. _Understand?"

Little did he know that, this time, things would turn out completely different…

* * *

_A/N: I did warn you about drama, didn't I? So don't freak out and keep expecting it till the very end of the story. I mean, both Sakura and Sasuke are so fucked up when it comes to both their relationship and their past, that it's simply impossible not to have it popping out from every single little thing. Not to mention irresistible, since I've always had a think for family drama and all that shit. _

_Sorry if this seemed rushed. I tried my best to establish a good connection between all the events, but I'm not so sure how that turned out. I'll need your opinion on that._

_Talking about opinions…I don't know why, but they make me think of cookies. What do you say? Want one? Review, please! xD_


	16. He Needs a Lesson

_A/N: Hey everybody! I apologize for the very long wait, but I've been too caught up in real life to be able to get in the mood for writing. I had to study really hard for my final exams and not only that, but school is almost over (thank God for that) and the teachers are bombarding us with homework and projects and tests and all kinds of stupid stuff like these. Man, I can't wait for summer vacation! Anyway._

_On a much happier note, I'd like to thank all of you for your reviews. The response I got for the last chapter has been amazing – you like, totally smashed whatever records I used to have. So, thank yooou! I'm so happy to see just how many of you enjoy my story!_

_And, just to clear things up, I did warn you about the drama, didn't I? And that kind of covers everything that needs to be said._

_P.S. Many of you have wondered why Sasuke is putting up with Karin and whether she is really going to stay at their house. Well, you'll just have to wait and see._

_Enjoy this chapter!  
_

_

* * *

_

_**Incomplete  
**__By The Terrorist_

_**Chapter sixteen**__  
He Needs a Lesson_

_

* * *

_

"…and that's what happened," Sakura finished at last, leaning back into her seat as she watched the two girls in front of her with an expectant look in her eyes. They had both been surprisingly quiet while she'd spoken, and although she couldn't be more grateful for that, she knew that all the questions they had probably accumulated would start flowing out of their mouths soon enough. She could only hope she'd be able to cope with all of them.

Truth to be told, after that morning's 'incident', the pinkette wasn't sure what exactly to do. You see, she hadn't really been thinking when she'd left the house, and while the idea of going back inside and locking herself into her room sounded awfully appealing, Sakura was well aware of the fact that it was kind of impossible, too.

So she resumed at wandering aimlessly around the neighborhood for a while, hoping that the walk would magically send away all the unwanted, negative thoughts and feelings, so that she could eventually go back home and face both Karin and her husband. Preferably without wanting to kill the two of them, of course.

For some reason or another, though, it didn't work out right, and before she even knew it, the pink haired woman found herself dialing TenTen's phone number and practically _pleading_ with her to meet her somewhere. Turned out, the brunette was already out, shopping with Hinata, and Sakura didn't think twice upon asking her to put her up to date with everything, while she got inside her car and drove to the café the two of them had settled in.

It was a bit strange, she wouldn't deny, the sudden need to talk to somebody – and not just anybody, but somebody who actually had the capability of _understanding_ her – about all this, but Sakura didn't dwell too much on the matter. So many things had happened in the last 24 hours (were they really that many?), that it was only normal for her to feel overwhelmed, right?

All these years, she hadn't had the privilege of discussing her problems with a friend; now, however, she did – so why pass up the opportunity?

TenTen was the first one to comment. "Oh, wow," she said, blinking and shaking her head lightly. "That's a pretty intense day you've got there, Sak."

"Yeah…" she muttered, nodding lightly as she grabbed her phone from the table and looked at it for what seemed like the millionth time that day. "I guess it is."

"What's up with that phone?" the brunette laughed upon noticing her action, unable to contain it anymore. Although she'd been rather busy with taking in all the information her friend had willingly given her, it didn't escape her that, while she talked, Sakura had held her phone in her hand and checked its screen at regular intervals.

The gesture was simple and innocent – it could be easily classified as fidgeting, but TenTen somehow knew it was more than that. The urge to interrupt her and ask her just what the hell was wrong had seemed almost unbearable at times, but she'd managed to refrain herself from doing so. Up until now, of course, when she had no reason to keep quiet anymore.

"Nothing," was Sakura's automatic answer, but not even she sounded fully confident in it, which caused the other two girls to exchange meaningful looks. Truthfully, she did have a reason for which she kept looking at her phone, but… Oh, screw it! That was why she was there, wasn't it? To talk! "Actually – can you _believe_ he hasn't called me yet?" she finally spoke, sounding downright frustrated with what she was saying. "I mean, it's been hours since I left the house! I could be dead by now and he wouldn't even know it!"

"Wait a minute," TenTen said, a smile present on her face, as she held a hand up. "You _want_ him to call you?" she asked, an almost incredulous edge to her voice.

"Yeah," Hinata backed her up, "aren't you like, mad at him or something?"

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Of course I'm mad at him," she said. "And of course I wouldn't answer his phone calls. But still…I'm a fair person, you know? He has the right to explain himself, and I would eventually give him a chance to do so – that, if he were interested in it. Which, by the looks of it, he isn't – at all." She paused for a moment, pouting lightly. "Makes me question his behavior, his intentions…makes me questions everything."

"Have you ever thought of the possibility that maybe he knows well enough to realize that, no matter how much he called, you wouldn't answer?" TenTen inquired matter-of-factly, resisting the urge to roll her eyes herself.

"That's impossible," the pinkette scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

Sasuke knew her, all right. But he only knew the surface – he knew her instincts, her habits, a few of her likes and dislikes…you know, little banal things that even a stranger would notice. He didn't know _the real her_. And even if he did, there was just no way he could know how she'd react in such a situation – after all, it was new for the both of them, wasn't it?

"Well, maybe he simply wants to give you some time," TenTen spoke again, shrugging lightly.

All Sakura did was scoff once more. "Yeah, riiight," she replied sarcastically as she let her eyes wander outside on the window. She heard her brown haired friend growl lightly in annoyance, but chose not to comment or respond in any way – the last thing she needed at this point was to get into an argument with her. Besides, she already knew she was right; she didn't need her – or anybody else, for that matter – to agree with her. Although the real reason for which she wanted so badly to meet the girls was that she needed advice. But that's beside the point.

"Sorry to ask this, Sakura, but don't you think you're being a little too _harsh_, perhaps?" It was Hinata who's spoken this time, her words somehow managing to confuse her.

The pinkette frowned lightly, unsure of how to answer her, but TenTen cut her off before she had even opened her mouth. "No, 'harsh' is definitely not the right word, Hinata," she said, shaking her head. "It's 'childish'. Don't look at me like that, Sakura," she said as soon as she noticed her friend gaping at her. "You heard me well: you're acting childish."

Bringing a hand up to massage her forehead, Sakura sighed quietly before speaking: "TenTen, of all the things…" she trailed off, rolling her eyes at what the brunette had just told her.

_Really, childish?_ How did that one pop into her head, and how the hell did she manage to associate it with the current situation? Even something like _'you're acting like a fucking bitch'_ would have fitted better, no matter the fact that she was definitely _not_ the bitch in this story.

"Pinky, I don't think you realize the magnitude of the situation," she said, ignoring the glare that was sent her way (courtesy of the new nickname, probably). "This guy – this emotionally retarded guy – has just confessed to you. In his own, strange and rather stupid way, but he has. He has agreed to get back with you, to try and set things right. He wasted his time standing outside your door, _begging_ you to let him explain this to you. Had he been in his place, Neji would have left the moment he received a negative answer!"

At that, Sakura couldn't help but open her mouth to argue, not liking the comparison TenTen had gotten to. Sasuke and Neji were very much alike, yes, but when it came to _this_, when it came to relationships, they were as different as two people could get. On the one hand, Neji loved his fiancée, and, as far as Sakura knew, he did everything in his power to make her happy; on the other hand, all Sasuke ever did was hurt her. And yes, he obviously wanted to make it up to her now, but that could only change the future, not the past.

Not only that, but TenTen was speaking without actually _knowing_ what she was saying. Her speech consisted solely of how she'd interpreted everything; she was attacking her and defending Sasuke, and she was using all her resources in order to do so. Needless to say, she wasn't helping her at all.

But the brunette seemed to have no intention whatsoever of letting her speak her mind. "Don't you dare say what I think you plan on saying," she threatened, throwing her a stern look. "Neji loves me, yes, but he is still himself – still an ass. I know him better than you do, so shut up."

"I could say the same thing about Sasuke, you know?" the pinkette pointed out, raising a challenging eyebrow.

"You can, no doubt about that," she said. "I don't know Sasuke very well, and I have no problem with admitting it, but when it comes to being an ass, he's a hell lot like Neji. I once used to believe that he was worse – what you've just told me, though, changed my opinion completely. I am absolutely sure that patience is not something that defines him, Sakura. For you, though, it seems like he's made an effort to change that." She paused for a moment, before continuing, her voice a lot softer then before. "I just don't think you appreciate that enough."

She had a point, all right. Sakura knew he had changed – she'd noticed that from the very beginning, ever since he'd said that phrase: _"I want to hate you, but I can't."_ Because she wasn't stupid – she knew those were probably the most sincere words he'd told her in this entire time they'd known each other. And she had been aware of it all along.

He'd opened up to her, he'd explained his behavior as well as he could, he'd told her about his fears, his reasons, his everything; he hadn't hesitated at all in questioning her motives for doing this, in forcing her to explain everything that was left unclear to him, despite the fact that _– she knew –_ he considered this type of questions a weakness. The day before, they had gotten along better then ever. It was only when Karin appeared that things began to go downhill – and she was perfectly aware of the fact that that wasn't his fault in the least.

But the fact that he'd taken her side had annoyed her so much… And, damn it, he hadn't even made a move to stop her from leaving! He hadn't run after her or even sent her a small text message. Hell, was she really asking for the impossible? Was him being worried about her – at least for _once_ in their lives – too much to even wish for? Was she really being childish by thinking like this? Maybe she was, maybe she wasn't. It was hard to tell what she was feeling at this point and even harder to analyze herself.

One thing was for certain, though: TenTen was right. She should be grateful for the amount of progress they'd made – no matter how small that might be – not sit here complaining about his flaws. "I know, I know," she finally admitted, heaving a sigh and brining a hand up to massage her forehead. "I'm aware of all that. But still…" she trailed off for a moment, finding herself unable to sort through her head and select the right words that could describe what she was feeling at this point.

Thankfully, she had Hinata for that. "…there's something that stops you from running back to him, isn't it?" she finished her phrase in a soft voice, a small smile present on her features.

"Yes," Sakura answered without hesitation, nodding. "See?" she asked, this time addressing her other friend, "She understands. Why can't you be like her, TenTen?"

"Hey!" she protested, scowling lightly. "I am most definitely _not_ the one with a problem here, okay?" The brunette rolled her eyes and leaned forward on the table, the action forcing Sakura to lift her head and look at her. "Your husband has changed for you, Sakura. In only a matter of days – of hours, actually. And I really wouldn't insist so much on this, if we didn't all know just how much he hates the change – he's made that obvious, hasn't he?" Knowing that she was right and expecting an answer, Sakura could only nod. "So what more proof do you want, huh? What's the something that's stopping you from not going to him right now?" she questioned softly, steadily holding her gaze.

"Distrust, maybe?" Hinata answered for her and the brunette turned to glare at her. Don't get me wrong, it didn't bother her that she chose to side with the pinkette in this situation – after all, everyone was entitled to have an opinion – but she knew that it wouldn't help her in either way. Because, at this point, what Sakura needed wasn't someone who would continuously nod in agreement with everything she said, but rather someone who would knock some sense into her, who would make her notice her mistakes and guide her down the right path. Which was exactly what she was trying to do at this point. "Don't look at me like that," the girl said, rolling her lavender eyes. "It's not like she hasn't got enough reasons not to trust him, you know?"

"Yes." She nodded, unable to deny it. "But he's also given her more than enough reasons to trust him." Knowing him and his silent nature, Sakura had probably yet to discover all of them. All Hinata could do was give a nod of her own and open her mouth to counter her words. However, Sakura interfered before she had a chance to do so.

"It's not distrust," she said, shaking her head lightly. "I truly believe that he was sincere when he said he hadn't known of Karin's arrival. And even if he had, even if he had really asked her to go to the wedding with him…well, it certainly happened before…before all this. Before he confessed to me, before we…" She paused for a moment, a light chuckle escaping her mouth. "I don't even know what the hell that was," she admitted with a sigh. "Anyway, I trust him. Not that I want to," she added rapidly, frowning lightly for a second and then shrugging in a resigned manner. "Then again, when it comes to the two of us, I've never really been able to make a decision of my own."

"Then what the heck is your problem?!" TenTen blurted out, unable to contain herself. Really, it was obvious that she wanted to make this work and that she was dying to hear what he had to say regarding the incidents from the last 24 hours, so why the hell did she insist on being stubborn and keeping away from him?

"He's taking me for granted – that's the problem," she snapped. "I mean, first the incident with Karin and now this. I've been gone for almost a day and he hasn't even called me once!"

TenTen rolled her eyes. "Here we go again…" she muttered.

"I'm serious, girls," the pinkette said. "This is never going to work if he has no intention whatsoever of even sending me a small text message after a fight."

"You know," Hinata started quietly, finally saying something in TenTen's favor, "that wasn't really a fight."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Whatever that was," she said. "He needs to get that stick out of his ass and realize that I'm not always going to come back to him, no matter what shit he does to me. He defended her right in front of me, and not that I'm possessive or jealous, but I'm not going to let him do that with each one of his ex-girlfriends. Sasuke may seem mature and all grown up to you, but in reality, he's just like a little kid. You let him do something once without taking action and he'll do it again – trust me, I've been through that a _million_ times.

"And I know that, if I don't give him a lesson now, he'll keep pulling that trick on me. He'll keep thinking that I'll always be there. That he can hurt me all that he wants, that he can do whatever he wants to me…that I won't _ever_ put an end to this, that I won't _ever_ leave him." She paused for a moment, something like a frustrated growl escaping her mouth as she ran a hand through her hair. "And that's not right," she continued in a calmer tone, shaking her head. "Maybe I could deal with it this time, but I'm not sure I'll be able to do so in the future, as well."

"Yeah, but don't you think you're asking too much of him, too all of a sudden?" TenTen retorted, stubbornly holding her ground.

"I _know_ I am!" the pinkette snapped once more, not even bothering to keep the annoyance out of her voice. "I just…I'm just so fucking tired of conforming with the little nothing he throws at me from time to time…" She shook her head, as if to clear it of any unwanted thoughts. "This time, I want everything."

"But – " the girl tried to protest, only to have Sakura cut her off.

"I know that what I'm doing right now isn't exactly right, TenTen," she said. "It's probably just one of the many mistakes that will follow. Because there will be a lot of them – some mine, some his. Sometimes, I'll pretend I don't see them. Other times, I'll call him out on his bullshit. He won't like that, of course. We will fight. We will make up. Then we'll fight again. And so on. That's the only way we can grow. It will be a rough time for both of us. But if he's really willing to make this work, we'll make it through. For that to happen, though, I can't pass this up. I need – "

It was TenTen's turn to interrupt her. "To give him a lesson," she finished her sentence in a soft voice, finally understanding where her friend was coming from. Sakura nodded. "I'm starting to get the hang of all this, you know?" she said, a small smirk blossoming on her face.

"Thank God," the pink haired woman muttered, happy that she wouldn't have to argue with her anymore.

The brunette ignored her remark, choosing instead to focus on more important matters. "Listen, I know exactly what we can do!" she exclaimed happily, clapping her hands.

Judging by the way her smirk had widened and the almost evil glint in her eyes, however, Sakura wasn't so sure she even wanted to find out what that was. "I'm kind of afraid to ask for details right now," she confessed, but the curiosity displayed in her green orbs gave her away.

"Don't be like that!" TenTen scowled lightly at her. "It's a really good idea, I swear!"

"It better be, really, cause it's the only one we have," Hinata joined in and rested her chin on her palm, as if readying herself for what her friend had to say.

The brunette rolled her eyes. "Geez, it is!" she exclaimed, rolling her eyes. "It's my idea – of course it's a good one. Anyway," she said, focusing her attention on Sakura, "your husband doesn't know where you are right now, does he?" All Sakura could do was nod dumbly. "And the last words you told him sounded something like: 'I don't need him anymore', right?"

"Something like that," she said, nodding once more.

TenTen's smirk grew even more as she prepared herself to speak again. "How does leaving him alone for a while sound to you?" And the girls could now perfectly understand why.

It took the pinkette a while to answer, as she didn't really know how to respond to such an offer. To be honest, the idea of not returning home had never actually crossed her mind, even though she was aware of the fact that it was probably the only way she could prove to Sasuke that she had a mind of her own and that she was not unconditionally his. After all, that was her home, too – where else would she go? And why the heck would she do something as stupid and reckless as leaving Karin alone with her husband?

Because, this time, Sakura had no intention whatsoever of letting Sasuke go, of handing him over to some random bitch. Sure, he'd acted like a jerk (don't worry, she would find a way to punish him for that, as well) and she was mad at him because of it, but this wasn't necessarily about getting him to love her, about getting their marriage to work – at least not anymore.

Right now, this was about territory, about possession. Even if she later discovered that they weren't meant to be, even if he eventually proved unworthy of her second chance, even if they ended up separated and hating each other (for real, this time), the 'Karin can't have him' thingy was the only reason she needed in order to be motivated to fight for him.

Which was exactly what she would do. She had seen, heard and been through enough already; undoubtedly, she had reached her limit. Nothing would stop her from kicking that bitch out of her life – even the lesson she planed to give her husband could wait until that was over.

"Think about it," the brunette urged, snapping her out of her thoughts. "The timing is perfect. We're leaving for New York in three days. You won't go home until that happens. You won't answer his phone calls and you'll refrain yourself from contacting him in any way – both these days and while we'll be in New York, of course. I'll talk to Neji and make sure he won't tell him where we're at." She paused for a moment, waiting for Sakura to absorb all of it, before adding with a smirk: "We'll see how well he manages to live without you."

The pinkette had no idea why everything TenTen was saying suddenly sounded so appealing to her. She was right – the timing really _was_ perfect; so perfect that she probably wouldn't get another chance to do things so…so right. But despite the fact that she wanted so badly to punish Sasuke (God knew for how long she'd been waiting for an opportunity to do something like this), she also wanted to keep whatever they now had intact. And choosing between those two might as well be classified as an impossible task.

"You know, she did say she wanted to fight for him," Hinata pointed out, as if she were able to read her mind. "Leaving will certainly not help her with that cause."

"I know," TenTen answered. "I've thought about that and I bet that's exactly what Sakura's doing right now. But – "

"But it's for the best," the pinkette answered for her as realization finally hit her. "TenTen's right: I _have_ to do this. I really need to know just how willing he is to make this work. And now I realize that this will help me immensely. Because if I come back and find him in bed with her, then at least I'll know not to get my feelings involved into this shit."

"And what if you don't find him in bed with her?" the raven haired girl questioned. "What if he proves to be really willing to hold onto his promise? What if this ruins what you two have?"

"That's impossible," TenTen quickly answered.

Hinata rolled her eyes. "No, it's not and you know it!" she almost snapped, then turned her attention back to the pinkette. "He'll be really mad at you for doing this."

"I know," was the only thing she could say.

"Yeah, but I have a feeling that, once he sees Sakura safe and home, the relief will be much stronger than any other feeling," TenTen added, smiling. "Because no matter how much of an ass he is, he really does care for you – he's said that himself, hasn't he?"

Upon hearing those words, Sakura was unable to keep a small smile from stretching over her features. Truthfully, he did tell her that he cared for her, and she was pretty sure he hadn't been lying at that point. The only thing that was left to do now was find out just how deep this 'care' was and to what extent he was willing to go to prove it to her.

"I'll do it," she spoke after a few moments of silence, her tone much more determined than before. "You just tell me what to do and how to do it, and I will."

* * *

_A/N: It's short, I know, but it contains everything I initially planned for, so it's okay. I only have to deal with one more final exam, so I promise I'll try to have the next chapter out as soon as possible._

_Also, sorry if there were moments when the actions seemed rushed – I kind of hurried when writing it, cause I knew I kept you guys waiting long enough. So, yeah. I'll stop rambling and just post the damn chapter already. __:)_

_1 review = 1 cookie. You know it! So review, please!_

_P.S. Don't forget to check my blog for teasers!_


	17. Take Care of Her

_A/N: Oh, wow. I feel like a total bitch right now. I'm so, so sorry. It's been so damn long since I last updated! Which is the reason why I'll just shut up and get on with the chapter. Enjoy!_

* * *

_**Incomplete  
**__By The Terrorist_

_**Chapter seventeen**__  
Take Care of Her  
_

_

* * *

_

"Um, Hinata, are you sure you're okay with this?" she asked for the umpteenth time as she took a seat on the comfortable-looking couch in the living room – Hinata's living room.

After TenTen came up with her wonderful idea, the girls spent a few more hours talking – fighting over what was the best course of action, trying their hardest to put together a couple of insignificant details, and, of course, eventually reaching an agreement – until she announced it was time for her to go, seeing as she had promised Neji she would have lunch with him.

It was in the particular moment that Sakura realized she had stormed out of the house empty-handed; the only things she had with her were her cell-phone and her car keys. And, really, none of those had potential of helping her with finding a place to sleep. So what the hell was she supposed to do without a credit card? For the girls, however, the answer to that question was incredibly easy. "Kidding, right? You don't think we'd actually allow you to spend the week in a hotel room, do you? You're going to stay with one of us, obviously!"

And, given the fact that TenTen lived with her fiancé – who happened to be none other than her husband's best friend – Sakura ended up being dragged to Hinata's house. Well, maybe not 'dragged', since she couldn't say she was opposed to it in any way. She just wasn't sure what her friend's thoughts over all this were. Which was extremely stupid of her, she knew, for Hinata had already answered her all her questions regarding that matter about fifty times each.

"Please tell me you're joking," the raven haired woman said as she entered the room, carrying two cups of tea in her hands. "I'm tired of repeating the same thing over and over again." She took a seat next to the pinkette and handed her one of the cups, which she gladly took, murmuring a quiet 'thank you'.

Her voice soon rose again, though, as she tried to offer another argument that would prove her point – prove that she had a reason for which she wasn't entirely confident in the decision her friend had taken. "But – " Unfortunately – or maybe simply fortunately – she wasn't given a chance to do so.

"Seriously now," Hinata said, rolling her eyes. It wasn't like her to do such gestures so often, seeing as her nature was rather shy, but Sakura's inability of understanding something so simple was, for the lack of a better word, getting on her nerves. "I truly believe you're making too much of a big deal out of it. You're just going to spend a few days over at my house. That's all."

Sakura nodded. "I know," she said. "I just want to make sure you're okay with it. I mean – "

"I assure you I'm perfectly _fine_ with it, Sakura," she interrupted. "You're my friend now, just like TenTen, Ino and Temari. And, trust me, none of them would ever ask so many questions whenever I decide to invite them over. Nor would they need to be reassured, every five minutes, that I'm okay with it."

She had hoped that, by bringing the other girls in the conversation, her friend would finally get it. She had no such luck. "Yeah, but they've been your friends for like, forever," Sakura stated, rolling her eyes. "Of course they would never comment." Knowing them, she was certain that, most of the times, they didn't even ask or waited to be invited – they just came over and made themselves at home. The problem was, she was not like them – at least not when it came to this. "On the other hand, you've only known me for a week or so."

Hinata sighed. "Does it really matter?"

"Are you kidding me?" the pinkette asked, gaping at her. "Of _course_ it does!"

"Well, not for me," the other girl answered. "You're my friend – my newest friend, but my friend, nonetheless. It's like, my duty to help you. And even if it weren't, I still would." She paused for a moment, then smiled as an idea popped into her head. "Besides, Naruto is going to love having you here for a few days."

As soon as those words were out of her mouth, she knew they had been the right thing to say. At the mention of his name, Sakura's face instantly brightened, and although her eyes still shone with slight confusion, the smile that made its appearance on her face gave it all away.

Naruto loved her very much and he'd made that clear from the very first moment he mentioned her name – the way his eyes were flooded with love and concern and the way his voice was laced with protectiveness only served to emphasize it. She was his best friend, his little sister, the first person he felt like he had to protect, to take care of, to love. The connection they had was deep enough to survive all these years of being away from each other and the bond they shared was now stronger than ever.

Of course he would enjoy having her so close to him – if only for a little while – just like _she_ would enjoy having him close to her. Hinata knew that – and it was one of the main reasons why she wanted to take Sakura home with her. After all, if she could make both her boyfriend and her friend happy by making no effort at all, then why wouldn't she?

"You live with him?" she asked, not sure if she'd understood right.

The girl nodded. "Yup," she said. "And wait until he hears about what you're planning to do to Sasuke." She smiled at the simply thought of it; she had yet to imagine how Naruto would react upon finding out what the Uchiha had done to his wife this time, but she was absolutely sure he would love the idea TenTen came up with.

"Yeah," the pinkette agreed, a small smile adorning her features. Naruto had always liked this kind of things – basically everything that included a good scare and a lesson that came along with it – and even though they had been apart for so long, Sakura was certain that this trait of his was much too important and unique to have simply disappeared over the years.

And even if it had, the simple fact that this was Sasuke they were planning to give a lesson to, would be more than enough to make him fall in love with TenTen's idea. Because he didn't like him. True, he didn't even know him personally, but after what he'd done to Sakura, he didn't even need to; he had hurt her, so he'd made an enemy out of him. It was as simple as that.

"He'll probably love TenTen forever for coming up with such an idea," Sakura added. Then she paused for a moment, frowning lightly. "On the other hand, you don't seem so pleased with the way this is heading to. You don't really agree with us, do you?"

Truth to be told, that matter had been bothering her for a while. Out of the three of them – actually, she was pretty sure she could say out of the _five_ of them – Hinata had been the only one who hadn't really agreed to what TenTen had proposed. She hadn't even bothered to hide it, which was, in Sakura's opinion, rather strange. Not that the raven haired girl wasn't entitled to make her thoughts known, but she had struck her as the silent type. But maybe that was just because, when put next to Ino and Temari, even a nasty talk-show host would seem quiet.

No matter what, though, she wasn't sorry she had asked that question. If anything, it would help the two of them to get to know each other a little better.

"Honestly?" the raven haired girl asked, even though she knew she didn't need to. "Not really. Revenge and this kind of stuff…they aren't my thing. And I truly believe that you could have come up with a better solution, one that didn't involve so many risks." Because, in this situation, that was the thing she was most afraid of – the fact that there was a possibility that, by leaving, Sakura could ruin everything that she and her husband had managed to build. And after everything she'd been through, that outcome really wasn't the most desirable one.

But then again, it was her choice. And Hinata had no right – or reason, for that matter – to judge her. After all, it was her life; she must know better than to intentionally make such a mistake.

"I know," the pinkette answered, surprising her. "I know this 'plan' is far from perfect. But I just…" she trailed off for a moment, struggling to find the right words. "I feel like I'm out of options, you know? I've tried everything… I really don't know what else to do to get that stick out of his ass and make him notice me," she confessed with a sigh.

Her friend nodded in understanding. "See? That's why you can't say I'm opposed to the decision you've made – I don't have a right to be," she told her. "After all, you guys have been through all these things together, you know him and he knows you, and…well, I guess you know what you're doing, even though the outcome is uncertain."

"You see, that's the problem," she said. "I'm not so sure about this. With every second that passes, I become more and more convinced that this isn't right, that I should just go home and talk it out with him. But I know that, if I do that, if I just give up, this won't be the last time I'll find myself in such a situation. And I don't want that," she said. Heaving a sigh, she leaned her head on her palm and looked up at the girl in front of her. "I swear to God, if this doesn't work out…then I don't know what I'm going to do."

~•~

It was a good three hours later that TenTen made her appearance, bursting through the door of the house as if the place belonged to her and promptly startling the girls that were still seated on the couch, chatting lightly. In high contrast with her previous movements, she gently closed the door behind her and took slow, purposeful steps towards her friends, taking a seat next to them as she reached them. The girls watched her with curious eyes, unsure of what exactly was going on, and they were just about to ask her to speak when they saw her opening her mouth.

It was a while until any sound came out, though. "Um," she finally started, scratching her head lightly, "there is a small…err, I wouldn't go as far as calling it a problem…it's more like a…like a change in plans, yeah!" she said, nodding to herself. "So…I've been thinking about this and I…I – "

"What's going on, TenTen?" Sakura cut her off, narrowing her eyes at her.

Biting her lip, the brunette took a deep breath, before blurting out: "Neji can't know."

The pinkette blinked in surprise. "What do you mean Neji can't know?" she asked, frowning. "He _has_ to know, TenTen. Otherwise, everything will go to hell!"

True, she wasn't sure she had made the right decision, but there was no going back now; the only thing she could do was make sure things would go as smoothly as possible. If they didn't have somebody to help them hide this while they were away, Sasuke would probably find out what was going on the second they boarded the plane. And she couldn't have that, damn it!

"No, Sak," she said, shaking her head. "Everything will go to hell if I tell Neji about this. Trust me, I know him and I know he won't like this at all."

Her friend rolled her eyes. "He doesn't have to like it. All he has to do is keep this trip a secret from Sasuke – nothing more, nothing less."

"Hello, Earth to Sakura!" the brunette exclaimed, snapping her fingers in front of her face for more emphasis. "Neji is his best friend. They've known each other for like, forever. As much as he loves me, he won't _ever_ agree to hide something like this from him."

"Great," she replied sarcastically. "Which means that I can make my way back home, right?"

"Not so fast," Hinata said, finally participating to the conversation. She and TenTen had been friends since kindergarten, so she knew just how much the girl hated being proved wrong. She had made a mistake by telling Sakura that Neji would help them, she had acknowledged it, and if she was here now, then that meant that she had already come up with a back-up plan or something akin to that. There was just no other option – of that, she was absolutely sure. "Listen to what she has to say about it," she encouraged.

TenTen gave her a grateful smile. "Thank you, Hinata," she said, then turned her attention back to the pinkette. "As I was saying, Neji can't know about our little plan. And we don't really need him to, either. After all, I'm pretty sure Sasuke won't go running to him when he realizes you've gone missing, right?"

Sakura shook her head. She knew her husband would never do something like that. But she also knew that, if her disappearance happened to come up in one of the few conversations he and Neji had, it wouldn't take him long to make connections. That, assuming that Neji wouldn't tell him straight away that she was in New York, with his fiancé.

When she opened her mouth to voice that, however, her friend interrupted her. "Guys don't talk about this kind of things, Sak. Especially not the two of them – they hardly talk at all. And if he ever gets to tell him where we are, it will be long after he fucks his brains up trying to come up with a solution, trying to find out how to get out back home. Trust me, I know what I'm saying."

"I want to trust you, but it's not that easy," Sakura snapped, annoyed. "I don't think you've realized, but all our plans revolved somehow around him knowing – around him _helping_ us. I mean, if you – or any other of us, for that matter – were closer to Sasuke, this might have worked. But you aren't. So how the hell am I supposed to even go home and pack a few things without having to worry about him making his appearance and seeing me?"

"You worry too much," the brunette told her, a small smile stretching onto her features. "I've already gotten that covered."

Sakura raised an eyebrow, as if silently challenging her to say what she had in mind this time. "Oh, really?"

"Yup!" she said, grinning. And she wasn't lying – she had called Neji and asked him about Sasuke's whereabouts. Of course, that made him suspicious, seeing as she'd never required such information before, but after a few rather awkward moments of trying to explain herself, TenTen finally came up with the idea of telling him that she was only asking because she thought that the fact that their friendship had managed to resist for so long was 'cool'. Then she quickly ended the conversation, before he realized something was wrong.

Well, before he _voiced_ his realization, for her soon-to-be husband knew her far too well. Regardless, though, she had done it – she had found out that Sasuke was having dinner with his parents (or something akin to that) and that he probably wouldn't be home for another two hours or so. The only problem they had to face now was the fact that an hour had almost already passed.

You should have seen the way Sakura jumped out of her seat when she informed her about this.

~•~

As he drove home from his parents, Sasuke's thoughts consisted of only one person – _Sakura._ Given all the things that had happened between them during these past few weeks, it wasn't uncommon for her to always be on his mind. Whether she was there because he was seriously contemplating murdering her or because he was trying to sort out his conflicted emotions (because, let's face it, she was the only person who managed to make him feel so much nowadays) didn't really matter. She was there, period. The rest were details.

Today, however, there was a slight difference he couldn't help but notice. After yesterday's events, he saw her in a new light – less like the annoying, loud-mouthed bitch and more like the kind, loving woman she was in reality – and he actually kind of liked that. Sasuke had a feeling that he had discovered a whole new person under that façade she had been wearing for years; he was intrigued and, truth to be told, he couldn't wait to learn more about her real self.

That, if he ended up being given a chance to do so. Because he wasn't so sure about that – at least not after everything that had happened in the last 24 hours.

He had been an ass, he knew. That morning, he had strolled out of his office as if it was just another random day, as if nothing had happened between the two of them the night before. He had been selfish enough to stop their bickering under the motive that his head hurt and stupid enough to tell _Sakura_ to stop, even though he'd known perfectly well that she was not the one who had started it. And he had taken Karin's side without even realizing it – which was something he believed he deserved the award of 'The Most Idiotic Man on Earth' for.

It was still unclear to him why exactly he had done that – why he hadn't kicked the redhead out of his house, taken Sakura by the arm and dragged her to his office to talk.

Perhaps it was because he was used to this, because he was used to blaming his wife for everything. Perhaps he didn't even realize what he was doing until it was too late, until he heard her words and watched her storm out of the room. Perhaps…

Well, there were many possibilities – too many. And he didn't have time to think about all of them. Right now, he had other things on his mind and time was pressuring him, too. He needed to find out how to apologize to Sakura and he needed to do it fast. Who knew what was going on through that woman's mind at the moment? For all he knew, she might be considering sending everything to hell and leaving him. And he couldn't let that happen.

Before, he might have considered such a decision a blessing. Before, he might have gotten all religious and thanked God for getting her to do such a thing. But now, it was out of question. Sasuke was pretty sure that, at this point, he'd be capable of getting to the extremes in order to stop her from leaving him; kidnapping, brain-washing, begging – whatever that entailed.

But he was getting ahead of himself. He couldn't know for sure what Sakura was thinking and despite the fact that he was aware of the fact that she had every reason to even think about killing him, he decided to stay positive. Maybe she was already home, waiting for him to arrive so that they could finally put some order into this whole mess. Yes, that sounded much like her…

However, he found out, as soon as he pulled into the driveway of his house, that he was just deluding himself. The Uchiha recognized the car parked next to his in an instant, even though he had only seen it once before. The only question that remained was: what the hell was TenTen doing there?

Said woman didn't take long in making her appearance. Just as he opened the door and slipped out of his car, she came flying down the steps of his house, as if she was being chased by some kind of monster. "Sasuke!" she exclaimed as soon as her eyes fell on him, quickly making her way towards him. "Where's Sakura?"

All the Uchiha could do at that point was frown. After all, what kind of question was that? That morning, he'd left for work only minutes after she had stormed out of the house, so if there was anybody between the two of them who knew where Sakura was, that was TenTen. Or at least it was _supposed_ to be TenTen. Because, for some reason or another, she didn't look she had received much information regarding that matter. Which was weird, to say at least. Because she was her friend, wasn't she?

Sakura couldn't have haunted the streets alone, thinking about all this and trying to find solutions on her own – she must have called or at least texted her girlfriends. Because, really, wasn't that what all girls did when mad, sad or simply in a bad mood? Sasuke believed that, yes, that was it; he was right. And his wife couldn't be the exception to this rule, now could she?

"I've been ringing the doorbell for like, ten minutes, but no one's answering! She isn't home, Sasuke!" she exclaimed, her voice tinted with worry.

Sasuke sighed. "I know she isn't home, TenTen." He sounded totally nonchalant, as if he'd been aware all along of the fact that he was coming home to an empty house, when in reality, he was trying hard to put some order into his thoughts. I mean, sure, he'd known she was mad – and for all the right reasons, at that – but he had expected her to have calmed down by now.

He had expected her to think rationally, like she usually did, and come back home so that they could finally have that discussion they had put off for so long. It seemed like that wasn't the case, though. Ignoring the familiar feeling that curled into the pit of his stomach at the simple thought of her still walking around at this hour proved to be a little too hard.

"We had a fight and she got mad. I haven't heard of her ever since this morning," he explained.

"Oh, you may have not heard from her since this morning, but _I_ have!" TenTen announced, glaring at him with a sudden ferocity. "She's not just mad – she's livid! Our conversation lasted for ten seconds top. All she said was that she was tired of you and all the shit you keep doing to her. And I don't know what you did this time, you fucking bastard, but I swear to God, if does something stupid because of it, you're going to be sorry!" Those were the last words she said to him before turning around and getting in her car; seconds later, she was already out of sight.

Sasuke blinked. What the hall had _that_ been? Shaking his head, he tried to clear his racing mind as he climbed the steps that led to the front door and entered the house. As soon as he got to the living room and saw that the couch was empty, though, he gave up on that task.

Every time they fought, no matter the reason, he would find here there, sitting on the couch, the remote in her hands. He would shrug his jacket off and throw it on one of the seats, and she would purposefully ignore him. Neither of them would say a thing until the next day, when they would find a reason to pick a fight again. The process would not repeat itself, though – that was just their own, unique way of making up. This time was supposed to be different – but not like this.

This time, they were supposed to talk, to work things out. But how could they do that, if she wasn't even here, to begin with? Truth to be told, he had hoped that TenTen wasn't entirely right about what she was saying – he had hoped that Sakura didn't answer the door because she didn't _want_ to, not because she wasn't actually home.

But it seemed like she hadn't been kidding at all when she told her friend that she was tired of this, tired of him. Which was completely understandable. Maybe a bit strange, seeing as Sasuke had never thought that, out of all the things he had done to her, this would be the one that would finally make her snap, but then again, one can never know which will be the last straw.

No matter what, though, he would find a way to somehow make it up to her. When she returned home – because, in his mind, there was no doubt that she would – he would ask her to forgive him and beg – if he had to – for another chance. And he would make sure he got it right this time.

Sighing, he began to slowly drag his feet towards the staircase, fully intending on going to his room and just sleeping it off. He had no idea where his wife was, and although he would like to go look for her, he was painfully aware of the fact that, damn it, he didn't even know where to start from! Finding her, just like that, would be pure luck – and he had never been a lucky person.

So yeah, maybe going to sleep really was the best idea. That way, he would not be tired the next day, which would definitely be an advantage if he planned on talking to her. Now, the problem was…well, he wasn't so sure he would be _able_ to sleep. Because, as much as a rational person as he was, he couldn't help but worry – about her and everything in between.

Where was she? Who was she with? Was she well? Was she safe, comfortable? Was she thinking about him as much as _he_ was about her? Was she considering giving him another chance, or giving up on him? Tons of questions were forming with each second passing by – questions that, unfortunately, he didn't have answers to.

Perhaps that was the reason why he found himself unable to pass by her room without taking a quick peek inside. Everything was exactly how she had left it, how it had always been – neat and organized. Before they got married, he used to live in a penthouse, in the heart of the city, so when they moved in this house, he decided (well, more like he was forced to, by his mother) to give her free reign over the decoration of her room. And, as annoyed as he had been because of it then, he now couldn't say he regretted it. Because he truly didn't.

She had a talent at designing – he knew that, even though she might have not realized it herself. Everything was in perfect harmony and so much like her – simple, yet classy and elegant. There was a piece of her in every object placed inside the room, in every single little detail… And, at this point, it wasn't doing him any good.

He was just about to turn around and exit the room when something shiny caught his eye. The curtains were pulled back, so the moonlight had long since invaded the room; from where he was now standing, he could see it reflecting off a small piece of silvered surface.

Frowning lightly, he walked towards it and picked it up, his eyes narrowing slightly upon realizing that the shiny little thing was actually his wife's cell-phone. Sakura never went anywhere without it – her phone and her car keys were always in her pockets or in her bag, even if she was only making a small trip to the supermarket around the corner. Hell, she had a habit of carrying them around even when it was obvious she had no intention whatsoever of leaving the house!

So why was it here now, huh? And how did she get to call her friend if she didn't have her cell-phone with her? Sure, she could have used a public phone, borrowed one from a friend or even went home to her parents; there were many other possibilities, he knew. But, somehow, none of them seemed to fit the current situation right.

Something was off, he realized. Something was terribly wrong here, and it wasn't the fact that it was already 11pm and his wife had yet to arrive home. TenTen had lied to him – he had no proof whatsoever, but he knew it; he had no reason to doubt his intuition, while he had plenty to doubt the brunette.

The only question was: why? Why would she do something like that? To get back at him for what he did to Sakura? That didn't really make sense to him, but the female mind was complicated, so he told himself he shouldn't be discouraged by it. But still, why would Sakura agree to something like this? No, scratch that. She would never, ever do such a thing to him. Especially now, when they had promised each other that they would try to make their marriage work. So no, that was no it. There had to be something else, a catch he couldn't quite imagine at this point.

With a sigh and a slight shake of his head, Sasuke threw the silver machine back on the bed and turned around, only to freeze again upon hearing it ring. Under normal circumstanced, he wouldn't even dare to _think_ about answering, but these weren't normal circumstances, so he didn't hesitate at all as he grabbed it once more and flipped it open.

However, the person on the other line didn't let him say a word, as she began speaking as soon as he pressed the accept button. _"Sakura!" _a voice he knew all too well exclaimed, sounding relieved. _"Thank God you answered! Did you manage to get out of there?"_

"Get out from where?" he couldn't help but ask, a deep frown taking over his features.

It was a while until he received an answer. _"Sasuke?" _And when he did, it certainly wasn't what he would have wanted to hear; although he knew he should have expected something like that.

"Hn. Where is she, TenTen?" he asked, all trace of doubt gone from his mind and heart. The brunette knew where his wife was and he'd be damned if he let her get away with it.

"_What do you mean?"_ But it seemed like, for some reason or another, she wanted to keep playing stupid.

"You know where she is," he stated confidently, trying hard not to lose his composure. "Tell me."

"_Are you fucking crazy?"_ she hissed through the phone, as if she was the one here who had the right to sound shocked and annoyed. Which, of course, she wasn't. _"I don't know shit. That's why I was at your house, looking for her!"_

"Bullshit!" he shouted, outraged. "Tell me or she is or tell her to fucking come home already!"

"_For the last time, I fucking don't know where she is! And even if I did, I would never tell you!"_ she spat.

Resisting the urge to punch something, Sasuke took a deep breath in an effort to calm down and clear his head of any murderous thoughts. Getting angry would get him nowhere, especially since the woman wasn't even in front of him, to begin with. So he decided to try a different approach, no matter how out of character that made him look.

"Look, TenTen…I'm sure you know how things are between me and Sakura," he told her. "I – "

"_Yes!"_ she exclaimed, cutting him off. _"Yes, I know perfectly well how much of a fucking asshole you are!" _

The Uchiha sighed – he _so_ deserved that. But he would have preferred to have Sakura shout that at him, really. "Hn." Because he couldn't care less about what her little friend thought of him. "Tell – " he tried to speak, only to end up being interrupted again.

"_I don't know where she is!"_ she shrieked loudly, causing him to pull the phone away from his ear for a brief moment.

"Fine!" he yelled back, his free hand pulling at his hair in frustration. "Fine, don't tell me!" That was the moment when he would have liked to end the call and slam the damn machine into the nearest wall. But he found himself unable to do so. Because there was something bugging him in the corner of his mind, something tugging at his heart, something…something he just couldn't have left unsaid, no matter how much he would have liked to. "Just…just take care of her," he said, his voice softer, calmer. "Wherever she is."

And with that said, Sasuke finally found himself able to press the end button; he didn't smash the phone in half, though, like he had initially wanted to. He only sat down on the bed and then flopped – rather ungracefully, since this is Sasuke we're talking about – onto his back, covering his eyes with an arm, a gesture that clearly showed just how tired and exasperated he was.

He was unaware of the fact that, just a few meters away, hiding behind the half-opened bathroom door, someone was smiling, trying hard to refrain from squealing by biting her lip, all the while silently fighting to remember what exactly caused her to make the decision of leaving, when she had all she needed right here, in this house.

* * *

_A/N: Truth to be told, I'm not really happy with the way this chapter turned out. The first two parts might have seemed a little rushed; I initially intended to put them together, but when I did, they seemed even more rushed than they do now, so I gave up and separated them. And, I dunno, it's just something about it that makes it seem…not right. I might go back to edit it sometime in the future, 'cause I couldn't have kept you guys waiting anymore. Like, really. It's been way too long. _

_There is also a part missing, but I guess you can all imagine what happened in it – the girls didn't manage to get out of the house in time, so Sakura sent TenTen to greet her husband, while she found someplace to hide… It will probably be explained (somehow) in the next chapter. _

_Speaking of the next chapter, I need your help with something: I'm not sure how to have the girls dressed like at the wedding. Since they're gonna shop for their outfits in New York, I need to know what to write. I already have the bridesmaid dress, but what should they wear at the reception? Should they wear evening gowns or cocktail dresses? Obviously, whichever gets more votes wins. _

_Anyway, I guess I should stop rambling now. Review! I know you all missed my cookies! XD_

_P.S. Don't forget to check out my blog! It's the only way I can communicate with you guys while I'm writing, and I need to do that – especially when this kind of situations occur. _


	18. New York, New York

_A/N: Hello! I'm back with a – rather quick – update! (I'm trying to go back to my old posting schedule – you know, the one with a new chapter every two weeks – but, again, I can't promise a thing)._

_I know, I know. I need to stop describing and explaining everything in detail. I think I've managed to do so with my other story (Pieces of Me); it was easier, though, because I was only starting it when I made the decision of changing my writing style. I'm reluctant to change it, all of a sudden, in the middle of the story. _

_But I'm working on it. Which can sometimes delay the updates, cause I just can't stop chewing on every phrase. That won't be a problem anymore when I get used to it, though. _

_I'd like to thank everybody who reviewed! It means a lot to me! Love you guys! XD _

_Now, enjoy!_

_P.S. This happens a few days later._

_

* * *

_

**_Incomplete_**_  
By The Terrorist_

**_Chapter eighteen_**_  
New York, New York_

_

* * *

_

"So, you're telling me that your wife has left you?" Neji asked, an almost incredulous edge to his voice, when his mind finally managed to wrap around what he had just heard.

They were both at work, locked up in the Hyuuga's office, where said person had finally managed to get his friend to tell him just what the hell was going on. He had sensed something off from the very first moment Sasuke stepped through the doors of the company three days ago, looking like he hadn't slept in a week, and had since then been trying to get something out of him.

Don't get me wrong, Neji was most definitely not a curious person, but he was well aware of the fact that there were very few things in this world that could make the Uchiha so disorientated, that could stop him from doing his job right, and he had wanted to know what it was, in this case.

He would have never imagined that, of all the people, it was his wife who had brought him in this state.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "No," he replied, "I'm not telling you that Sakura has _left_ me. I'm telling you that she isn't home."

"And that she's been missing for the past three days," he countered, resisting the urge to point out just how childish his reaction had been, and then rolled his eyes as Sasuke's only reply was a grunt. "Why?" he asked soon after.

The Uchiha raised an eyebrow. "Why what?"

"Why did she leave?" he clarified with a sigh.

Sasuke bristled. "She _didn't_ leave, damn it!" he growled.

"Why is she absent, then?" he asked in a clearly exasperated tone.

"Because she's annoying, that's why," the Uchiha grumbled and leaned back into his seat, crossing his arms over his chest in an almost childish manner. "We fought and she just stormed off."

"I take it she left because you did something stupid," he wasted no second in saying, a knowing look in his eyes.

"That is entirely irrelevant," his friend proclaimed, glaring lightly at him. Then he paused and rethought his answer. "It was Karin's fault," he finally said, deciding that he had nothing to lose if he let Neji know the details of what had truly happened between him and his wife.

The Hyuuga could only sigh as he heard that. "What did she do this time?" he asked.

"She appeared out of nowhere – right when I was finally getting somewhere with Sakura – and claimed that I had sent her a message, asking her to accompany me to your wedding," he explained, barely able to keep the anger he still felt whenever he thought about this out of his voice. "And then, as if all that wasn't enough, she told Sakura to gather her stuff and clear her room, because she had no intention whatsoever of staying at a hotel and seemingly wanted to install herself in there."

Neji was not surprised. He knew perfectly well that Karin's specialty was lying and, through that, destroying everything and everyone who got in her way – and she had _always _wanted Sasuke.

At that point, it was something else that bothered him. "And I suppose you were not there when she told her all that, were you?"

"I was," Sasuke answered. "And before you ask – no, I did not interfere. At least not in the right way," he added in a low mumble, somewhat hoping that he wouldn't hear him.

He had no such luck. "No wonder she left you," Neji scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"She didn't _leave_ me," the Uchiha hissed once more, glaring daggers at the man in front of him.

However, he ended up being ignored. "Women hate it when you don't defend them, Sasuke," he told him. "Especially in front of another woman, who, on top of everything else, used to be your mistress. Seriously. How stupid are you?"

It took Sasuke a while to come up with an answer that didn't involve punching his friend square in the face. That wouldn't have been right at all, seeing as he was only telling the truth – and trying to help by doing so, no less. "I thought that, if I didn't pay Karin attention, she would realize that she means absolutely nothing to me," he finally confessed.

"And you decided to do it _that_ way?" Neji asked, shocked at how little experience his friend seemed to have when it came too situations like these. "Sasuke, she's a woman. And, no matter how _different _she is, she still thinks and acts like one!"

"I know," the Uchiha replied, his voice quiet, as he slumped even more in his seat.

"You know," he repeated, almost mockingly. "Why do I have a feeling you've just found out about it?"

Sasuke threw him another glare. "Shut up, Neji."

Surprisingly enough, said person did listen to him and kept quiet. But only as his brain processed all of this. "Have you tried to find her?" he eventually asked, looking up at his friend. "You know you need to give her some explanations before it's too late and she decides you're a lost cause."

"Yeah, I know," Sasuke replied. "Your fiancée knows where she is, but she won't tell me. I can't think of another way to find her – she could be anywhere!" It had never occurred to him to ask for his friend's help, because he knew Neji wasn't one to go around getting involved in others' personal lives (even if this was, in a way, his fiancée's personal life they were talking about).

Besides, it had already been three days, for God's sake! He was sure that Sakura would make an appearance anytime now.

"Well, in that case, you'd better hurry, 'cause they're leaving for New York in about an hour."

…Or maybe not.

"What?"

~•~

By Friday, Sakura was reduced to a trembling ball of anxiety.

She couldn't deny that the past few days had been great – full of shopping sessions, relaxation, sleepovers and endless chatting; between the girls and Naruto, she had barely had a minute to herself. The only times when she got to think about her husband and what she was about to do to him were when she got ready for bed, though, most of the times, she was so exhausted that she was already asleep the very moment her head hit the pillow.

She would have probably never realized it, but it seemed like a little time away from him, away from all the drama that surrounded their relationship, was exactly what she needed. And, as many doubts as she might have had at the beginning, now she couldn't wait to arrive in New York.

But her nerves would certainly not calm down until the plane took off.

Call her paranoid, but after the incident from a few days earlier, she was rather scared that Sasuke might do – or say – something that would make her change her mind and go back home.

As you can probably guess, TenTen had had a really hard time convincing her that she should still go with them, regardless of how sweet her husband's words had been; fortunately, she had eventually managed to do so. Moreover, the pinkette had been pleasantly surprised as she began to actually look_ forward_ to the trip.

Don't get me wrong, Sakura was well aware of the fact that running away wouldn't solve any of her problems and that, instead, it might cause some more, but she didn't care. Because she knew that, once she returned, she would be able to see the current situation in a whole new light and deal with everything a lot better.

And that was exactly what she needed – what she had wanted all along.

By the looks of it, her wish was not far from being fulfilled.

Their plane left in half an hour, so she and the girls were currently in the airport lounge, flipping through magazines and chatting lightly.

The day after TenTen convinced her to go to New York (for the _second_ time), Sakura had taken matters into her own hands and told Ino and Temari about her marriage, her relationship with her husband, the reason why she was currently 'running away' and everything in between. She had detailed every single little thing as best as she could and the girls had had more than enough time to process all the information, but, for some reason or another, it was still the number one subject when it came to discussing serious matters.

Like now, for example. "Will this Karin really attend the wedding?" Temari asked at some point in their conversation, capturing Sakura's attention. Because, relaxed or not, she still couldn't help but get mad every time she heard that creature's name being mentioned. (She actually couldn't help but silently begin to contemplate her death, but that's beside the point).

TenTen let out a small sigh. "Unfortunately, yeah," she said. "Neji's parents invited her and her family, and I can't do a damn thing about it. You know how my _dearest_ father-in-law can get."

"That's pretty bad," Hinata commented in a small voice, biting her lip as she watched her pink-haired friend. "Do you think she'll try something?" she asked.

"Not really," Sakura answered without really thinking about it. "And even if she does…" she trailed off for a moment. "All I can say is that…well, in public, Sasuke is my man. And she's really gonna get it is she as much as _tries_ to touch him. Seriously."

"That's my girl!" Ino exclaimed from beside her, but was easily ignored, seeing as her eyes were still fixed on the magazine in front of her.

"Yeah, but I was thinking that," the other blonde said, "since Sasuke will go with you at the wedding, maybe she will finally realize that she has no chance to win him back, now that he's married and all that. Maybe she'll leave you guys alone."

Upon hearing that, Sakura could only shake her head. Who knew Temari could come to with such idealistic conclusions?

"Temari, she _fucked _my husband on my wedding night." Blunt sincerity was the best way to give news – Naruto taught her that. And, as unlikely as her nice and kind personality might make it seem, she totally agreed with him. "Do you really think she'll let go of him now, just because we're gonna attend an event together?" She scoffed. "Be serious."

Only when she finished talking, did she realize that four pair of eyes were staring at her in shock. "What?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"She what?" Ino was the first one to react, her magazine now forgotten on her lap.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "You heard me," she said.

"My God!" she exclaimed, sounding shocked. "This girl needs to get her ass kicked! Like, really!"

"I know," the pinkette said, nodding. "I've wanted to do so ever since I first met her. And, I swear to God, I'm so close to my breaking point right now, that anything she says or does could throw me over the edge." She paused for a moment, before adding: "I'm not sure she'll get out of it alive."

"Call me if you need help," TenTen said. "Cause if you want me to, I can make sure they won't even recognize her body."

They all shared a laugh upon hearing that, the tense atmosphere quickly replaced by a calm, comfortable silence; it was soon broken, though, as Ino decided she had something else to say.

"Wait a minute!" she ordered loudly, raising a hand in the air. "If she's that bad, then how in the world could you leave your husband alone with her, woman?" she asked, looking at her with an incredulous expression plastered on her face. "I mean, what if they sleep together or something?"

"Ino!" Hinata scolded quietly, shaking her head.

Sakura could only smirk. "Don't worry, they won't," she stated confidently, causing a few skeptical glances to be thrown her way.

"You sound really sure about that, Sak," TenTen commented, a slight frown adorning her features.

"I _am _sure," she said. "Sasuke is a jerk, yes, and he's probably slept with more than half of the city's female population, but he's not a liar – that's one of the things I admire most at him. He can be an ass when he wants to be and he can hurt you pretty badly when he intends to, but when he's promised you something, you know you can truly trust him."

"And he's promised you he won't fuck her?" Ino asked, raising a delicate eyebrow.

"No," she admitted. "But he's accepted to give us another chance. And that's as close as a promise as I'll ever get out of him. He hates commitment." She paused for a moment, a small smile making its appearance on her face. "Besides," she continued, "after what I've heard him say… I trust him. Unconditionally."

The girls remained quiet after that, the only response coming from TenTen and consisting of a quiet 'fair enough'. She, too, had been very surprised upon hearing Sasuke utter those four words, and, unbeknownst to her pink-haired friend, had had a really hard time convincing herself that she had done the right thing by sharing her ideas with her and persuading her into coming to New York without telling her husband about it. She knew perfectly well that, had she been in Sakura's place, those words would have melted her, too.

But she was not Sakura and Sasuke was not Neji. He was a much bigger asshole, who happened to have just realized that he had a wife and that he kind of cared about her, in that weird, totally fucked up way that only he could, and who desperately needed to be given a lesson. That was all there was to this situation – nothing more, nothing less.

She was just about to nod to herself, when Ino's words cut through her thoughts, bringing her back to reality. "Yeah, but what if she like, rapes him?" she exclaimed, sounding truly horrified.

"Ino!" the Hyuuga heiress exclaimed, louder this time, while the other girls just burst into laughter.

_'TenTen was right,'_ the pinkette thought, trying to remember the last time she had had so much fun. It had definitely been a very long time ago. _'I've really made the right choice.'_

~•~

"Damn it!" Sasuke cursed loudly as he slammed his hand against the steering wheel for what seemed like the millionth time since he'd left the company.

It was official – someone up there hated him. He had no idea what the hell was going on, but the traffic on the highway that led to the airport seemed to be stalled for at least a mile; he had barely moved a single car length in the last twenty minutes and all he could see ahead were red brake lights.

What a perfect time for somebody to have an accident, right? (Because, if that wasn't the case, he would most likely kill the person who was responsible for this).

It was only 9:25 am – from what he understood from Neji, her plane didn't leave for another half an hour, but if the goddamn traffic didn't begin to move soon, he was going to be late and she was going to leave. And, damn it, he couldn't let that happen!

He still didn't quite understand what exactly had caused her to take such drastic measures. I mean, yeah, he knew he had upset her – and maybe even hurt her, to some extent – but still, he truly believed she had overreacted. Staying at a friend for a few days was one thing; flying all the way down to the other side of the country was another.

Why the hell couldn't she have just come back home and talked to him? Fuck, he would have probably even allowed her to yell at him, to insult him, to hit him! He would have taken _anything _she decided to throw at him, with the simple condition of her giving him a chance to explain himself. But nooo, she just had to be annoying and blow this whole thing way out of proportions. Like she usually did. Although she had never, ever taken things so far before – truth to be told, he would have never imagined she had such courage.

But just wait till he got his hands on her. He would make sure that the thought of leaving him never crossed her mind again. True, he wasn't entirely sure of how exactly he would accomplish that, but that piece of information wasn't entirely relevant at this point. All that mattered right now was arriving at the airport in time and stopping her from getting on that plane.

Looking down at the time again, he groaned – 9:37 am. He had not advanced much, and even though there was still plenty of time left, it was not helping with his ever-increasing level of frustration. He had to curse at least four times more until the cars finally began moving at a snail's pace and, by the time he reached the exit, he was seriously started to consider the possibility of not managing to be there on time. Once he was finally in the clear, he pressed the gas pedal to the floor, driving as fast as he could towards the airport.

It took him longer than expected to get there and to find a parking spot, and he refused to look at the clock, convinced, by now, that the damn thing was fucking playing with him. Rushing into the massive expense of the airport, he ran towards the first attendant he noticed, asking about his wife's flight as soon as he was certain she could hear him.

To say that he didn't like the answer he received would probably be a terrible understatement. Turned out, the fucking plane had just fucking taken off.

"Goddamn it, Sakura!" he growled to himself as he re-entered the parking lot, running a hand through his inky locks. His first instinct had been to whip out his cell-phone and call her – to give her an earful for doing something like that to him. But then he realized that he would have to wait for another four hours for that. Which was immediately eclipsed by the realization that, damn it, he had no way to contact her – her phone was still lying somewhere in the middle of her bed.

Defeated, he resumed at slipping back inside his car and punching the steering wheel once more, as if it was the one guilty for this fucked up situation.

~•~

It was a good four hours later that the girls finally arrived in New York.

The trip had been tiring enough, so they all decided to go check in the hotel, take a shower and laze around until they had to get to the appointment TenTen had made for the finally fitting of her wedding dress; the only one who complained was Ino, who seemed to be very eager to check out every store, but she was ignored, as always.

Sakura could not blame her enthusiasm, though. She probably couldn't be less interested in shopping, but the city seemed so beautiful, that she just couldn't wait to go out and explore. But that could definitely wait until she took a shower and had a good night of sleep.

Although Neji didn't bother to accompany his fiancée to the airport, he did ensure that she would have all the comfort she could get while in New York; located in the heart of Times Square, the Marriott Marquis hotel was probably the best one around – and, not surprisingly, that was where they he had reserved a suite for them.

It was huge – probably a lot larger than four girls would ever need – with contemporary furnishing and light colored walls, the dominant colors being different shades of beige and brown. What caught Sakura's eye, though, were the floor-to-ceiling windows and the view they offered over Times Square.

She could spend hours just gazing outside at the lively New York streets, and she made a small mental note to do so at least once in the days that followed; she didn't know why, but looking out the window had always come with a sense of comfort and security to her, which enabled her to think a lot more clearly than she was usually able to.

Once they got properly installed, the girls took turns at taking showers. When Sakura finally finished with hers and strolled out of the bathroom, she was surprised to find the girls on the couch, giggling as her brand new cell-phone kept vibrating on the coffee table in front of them.

"What's going on?" she asked with a smile and a slight frown, confused as to why they were behaving like that. "Who's calling me?"

"You get one guess," TenTen laughed as she handed her the phone, but didn't say anything else, knowing that her friend could now easily tell by herself.

And so it was. The pinkette took the phone from her and gasped upon seeing the caller ID – there was no name written on the screen, but she immediately recognized the number. "Sasuke?" she asked, almost incredulously, as she shifted her gaze to her friends. "How the hell did he get this number?"

"From Neji, probably," she answered, shrugging lightly, then launched into giving her a full explanation: "You know how annoying he is – I mean, you live with such a specimen, too. He acts all cold and uncaring, and when I asked him if he's gonna miss me, he only made that noncommittal sound he likes so much. So, I – as a joke, mainly – wrote all your numbers on a piece of paper, telling him that he can call either of them in case he gets all lonely and emo without me." She smiled sheepishly. "I guess that's how he got it."

Sakura stayed quiet for a few moments, her brain working to process the current situation. "Then that means he already knows where we are," she finally said, alarmed.

TenTen chuckled. "So what?" she asked. "Too damn late – we're already here. He can't do anything now," she pointed out.

"I don't think you know Sasuke well enough," Sakura told her. "He's capable of getting on a plane and flying to New York, just to demand some explanations."

"And?" Ino interfered, looking at her expectantly. "I wouldn't mind if my boyfriend or husband – ignore the fact that I don't have either at the current time – did such a thing."

"Yeah," Temari agreed, nodding. "The original scenario is for the guy to rush to the airport and stop the girl from leaving by saying some kind of cheesy phrase and then kissing her senseless." She paused for a moment, then shrugged lightly. "But I guess this could do just as nicely."

Sakura shook her head. "I'm not sure you girls see things the way I do," she said. "I mean, if he comes here – " she tried to speak, to tell them that the trip would most likely be ruined by his presence (which was something she did not want, under any circumstances), but the brunette cut her off before she could finish.

"He won't come," she spoke, her tone reassuring. "We talk about this kind of scenarios because we like them, but that doesn't make them true in any way. I don't know Sasuke very well, but I do know my fiancé – and he won't let him do something as stupid as coming all the way to New York for nothing. Trust me."

"No one can control Sasuke when he's in a bad mood," the pinkette muttered. "And, seeing as my phone is still ringing," she continued, showing them the silver machine, "I bet it won't be long until he gets there."

TenTen rolled her eyes. "Oh, please," she scoffed. "Just because you can't handle him when he's in a bad mood doesn't mean that there isn't a person in this world who can. And, because you're a lucky bitch, that person happens to be my fiancé."

"Yeah," Hinata agreed. "I mean, they've known each other for as far back as they can remember."

"See? You have nothing to worry about!" she said. "Now, I think we all need to start getting ready. My appointment is in an hour."

The room cleared fairly quickly, leaving Sakura alone with her thoughts. Truth to be told, she felt rather bad for doing this to him; the insecurity returned as the phone kept vibrating in her hands, making her wonder, once again, whether she hadn't taken things too far by leaving to New York without telling him. She should have known he would eventually find out, anyway, so it probably wouldn't have been so bad if had at least sent him a quick text message before boarding the plane.

After all, she had ignored him enough – she had been missing for three days and had not once bothered to give him a sign that she was okay, other than that time when she unintentionally left her phone on the bed, causing him to find out that she was somewhere with TenTen. And now, when he finally found out where she was, she was not answering his phone calls.

Sakura knew it was part of the plan, but still. If she hadn't been acting like a bitch all along, she was definitely doing it now. And she wasn't sure to what degree she liked that.

"Sakura!" Ino hollered, snapping her out of her thoughts. "Get your ass over here and put some decent clothes on! We don't have time to wait till you put some order in that head of yours!"

Chuckling at her accurate guess, the pinkette decided to do as she was told and headed over to where her suitcase laid, still unpacked.

She was far from pretentious when it came to clothing (although, she had to admit, she did have a slight obsession with high heels), so it didn't take her long to find an outfit: a black and white belted shirt, black pants, and a pair of black, high heeled pumps. Same went with make up; she loved it, she wouldn't deny, but she didn't like applying too much, for she believed it did not match her personality at all. A little bit of foundation, a light gold eye-shadow, mascara and clear lip-gloss – and she was all set.

Of course, she was ready way before Ino had even decided on which pair of shoes she should wear, so she spent the remaining time flipping through a magazine. They finally got on the move half an hour later, and while the girls continued to chat about every possible thing, Sakura tuned them out and chose to stare out the window instead, taking in her new surroundings, as the limousine TenTen – or probably Neji, now that she thought about it – rented took them to their destination.

Once they got to the respective store, one of the attendants ushered all of them into a large fitting room, saying that she would be right back with the dress. Amusingly enough, TenTen was shaking like a leaf the entire time, but Sakura refrained from commenting on it. When it came to weddings, it was painfully obvious that there was no term of comparison between the experiences either of them had lived through, so there was no need for chuckles, raised eyebrows and the explanations that came with them.

True to her word, the attendant came back soon enough, and after the girls had finished ogling the dress on the hanger, she took TenTen away so that she could help her put it on. The gown was beautiful – mermaid style, covered in embellished lace, with thick straps that tied around her neck and an empire waist – and it seemed as if it had been made specifically for her. It fit her perfectly and she was positively glowing as she reappeared in front of them. Needless to say, it took about five minutes for all of them to stop complimenting her.

Then Ino began to gush over how good she would look on her wedding day, after she'd finished with her hair and make up, while Sakura stood up at the brunette's request to help her with the veil. No sooner had she touched it, that her phone began vibrating again.

Sakura shook her head in amusement. "Unbelievable," she laughed, knowing exactly who it was.

Interrupted from her rambling, Ino could only chuckle. "He just doesn't know when to give up, does he?"

"Nope," the pinkette answered as she walked back to her seat. "He is _so _not used to losing. I'll just shut the damn thing off," she announced, opening her bag with a sigh.

"What? No!" TenTen exclaimed, horrified. "Are you insane? We haven't done all this for nothing! Let him keep calling," she said. "It's very important for him to know that you're perfectly aware of how desperate he is, but that you couldn't care less."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "There is a slight problem regarding the fact that I actually do care, TenTen," she told her. "As unlikely as it may seem, it's killing me to ignore him like this."

"After all he's done to you?" she asked, raising an eyebrow, but didn't give her a chance to reply. "Please, Sakura. He so does not deserve it!"

"He doesn't deserve a lot of things," the pinkette admitted. Just like he didn't deserve her and the feelings she had for him. Because she _did _care for him – probably a lot more than she would have liked. "And still, he has them."

"Oh, shut up!" TenTen said, waving her off. "At least for a few days, forget all about him. Just come here and help me a little."

With one last roll of her eyes, Sakura left her bag – and the cell-phone that was still vibrating inside of it – and did as she was told, knowing that her friend was right. This week was not about Sasuke and the relationship that existed between the two of them; this was about her – her and TenTen and the wedding and the girls. Nothing more, nothing less.

And, as she helped the brunette with her dress, answered questions about her own wedding and gave advices as if she were the number one expert in this domain, Sakura realized that, for the first time ever, she didn't feel the slightest bit of remorse towards the fact that she had married Sasuke.

* * *

_A/N: Phew. Finally! I hope this didn't seem rushed – I tried to cover as much time as possible without getting lost in useless details. I won't write about their entire trip – just the little bits that are important. The way I see it, they're all gonna fit in two chapters. One down, one more to go. Then Sakura goes back home to little Sasuke-kun and his fucked up self. _

_It's been decided: the girls will wear cocktail dresses! Now, I don't have the next chapter written, so I can't guarantee that all the outfits will get to be mentioned. And if they don't, I won't bother with finding pictures and posting them, 'cause that will take too much time. (I know I did that last time, but that was only because I already had them picked out). _

_Speaking of, you can find pictures of Sakura's outfit and TenTen's wedding dress on my profile. Go check it out!_

_And now, review! I have cookies! XD_

_P.S. I'll answer any questions you might have asked, but not right now, 'cause it would take too much time and the update is already two days late. I'll send you a PM as soon as possible!_


	19. Brother In Law

_A/N: Hello! I'm baaack! XD_

_Thank you all for your reviews! It seems like this story is soon going to hit 1.000 – and I can't believe it! I'm so happy and so very grateful!_

_Many of you guys asked about Karin. All I can say is that she will appear in the next chapter and that Sasuke will explain everything – including the matters regarding her. So, yeah. Just have a little patience. _

_And now, on with the chapter! Enjoy!_

* * *

_**Incomplete**  
By The Terrorist_

_**Chapter nineteen**  
Brother In Law_

* * *

The next two days passed in a blur.

After they had finished with their appointment and TenTen finally got to take her dress with her, they all decided to go somewhere nice and grab something to eat, seeing as the last time they'd done so had been on the plane and they were positively starving.

Then they made their way back to the hotel, fully intending on watching a movie and then going to sleep, only to have Ino complain, quite loudly, that she wanted to go to a club. As expected, none of the girls wanted to humor her, but they all somehow ended up giving in, as Ino said that she had allowed them to ignore her for way too long, but that she had no intention of doing so anymore.

At the club, however, the energy was contagious, so it was only a matter of minutes before every trace of tiredness was eliminated from their systems, making them forget all about sleep and relaxation.

Saturday morning was spent in the hotel's spa, and when they got back to their suite, TenTen showed them the custom-made bridesmaid dresses that had been delivered early in the morning, while the rest of them were still sleeping. Although Sakura hadn't been there when the girls discussed the design of the dresses, she had to admit that they had made the right decision. They were beautiful – simple, yet elegant, a deep shade of red that, according to TenTen, would match the exact color of her roses bouquet.

The only thing left to do was to find matching shoes, and the girls immediately got down to business. The next few hours were spent shopping; they returned at the hotel late at night, after having had dinner and taken a small walk through the busy streets of New York, each of the girls carrying an identical pair of silver heels and numerous bags filled with clothes, shoes and accessories. However many those were, though, they had all failed to find outfits for the wedding, so their shopping trip was resumed the following day.

It was then that Sakura realized – whoever had called shopping a strenuous activity was, without a doubt, a genius. Finding the perfect outfit proved to be very hard, especially since New York had a huge variety of stores, and Ino and Temari proved to be more pretentious than Sakura and Hinata put together. On many occasions, the pinkette found herself worrying over the fact that, if they didn't move faster, they would have to spend Monday in a mall, as well; she silently contemplated whether the girls would get really mad at her if she abandoned them in favor of sightseeing.

She hoped not, really, because she had no intention whatsoever of leaving New York without having seen all it had to offer.

Sakura had been the first to find her outfit – a slate grey, satin cocktail dress, with an empire waist and a low neckline; it subtly showed her curves and brought out her eyes, contrasting with her pink hair in an exotic manner, as Ino had proudly stated. She accessorized it with some long, diamond earrings, and a pair of black high-heels she remembered having back home. The other person who hadn't had problems with finding an outfit was Hinata. She chose a short, black and white dress, and a pair of black peep toes with a small bow on top.

Temari claimed to have already picked out her shoes – a pair of strappy, silver sandals – but continued to reject dress after dress under different pretexts. Eventually, though, she found a nice beige dress, made of satin and decorated with discrete silver gems, and after what seemed like half an hour spent in front of the mirror, she decided that it met her expectations.

By the time 5pm rolled around, they were still trapped in a store, lazily checking out various pieces of clothing, while Ino was locked up in a dressing room, trying on half of the store's supply of evening dresses. A few minutes later, she got out and shook her head, a sheepish smile plastered on her face; she was just about to open her mouth to speak – to tell them that they should visit another store, no doubt – when Sakura finally snapped.

"There's just no way I will allow you to do this to me any longer! We've been everywhere! You can't be _that_ special! Go back in there and I'll pick a dress for you."

Most of the times, the pinkette loved shopping, but too much was simply too much. And, by the way they cheered her on, she could tell that the other girls agreed with her on that matter.

It took her no longer than five minutes to find what she thought to be the perfect dress for her blonde friend – a golden, cocktail dress that would show enough skin and cling to her body – and to mentally match it with a pair of golden, strappy sandals they had admired a few stores before. At first, Ino hadn't been happy at all with her choice, but that changed as soon as she pulled the dress on; somehow, she instantly fell in love with it, and hurried to buy the shoes Sakura had suggested.

Such an event was rare, it seemed, for the blonde had it very well with clothes and fashion, so it wasn't a surprise when Sakura and her accomplishment became the number one conversation subject at lunch. As the girls kept praising her, the pinkette remained silent, not quite enjoying being in the center or attention. Especially since, in her opinion, she hadn't done anything extremely out of the ordinary and miraculous.

For as long as she could remember, she had been good with clothes – she'd never had problems with creating outfits, like any other girl was bound to have, at least once in her life; sometimes, she'd even buy clothes that she would later transform the slightest bit, causing her friends to get jealous of her unique style.

"Seriously," TenTen commented, still sounding somewhat astonished. "That was amazing!"

"Yeah," Hinata agreed. "If that didn't prove you should be a designer or something like that, I don't know what would."

For the umpteenth time, Sakura rolled her eyes and smiled lightly at the compliment, but didn't answer in any other way.

"Have you ever like, designed your own stuff?" Temari asked, sounding genuinely curious.

"Yeah," the pinkette answered, her mind already thinking back to that time. "I used to, when I was younger."

"When you were _younger_?" TenTen laughed. "You're making it seem like you're seventy or something!"

Sakura rolled her eyes once more. "Okay, then, when I was a _teenager_," she rephrased.

"That's better," the brunette said, smiling proudly. "Anyway, why did you stop? I bet you were super good at it!"

It was the first time in a while she found herself hesitating. TenTen's question, although innocent, brought back memories that had tormented her for years, memories she couldn't quite face yet. Her friends were great, and a little voice inside her head told her that she should talk to them about it, that she should just let it out, because she was done, she wouldn't feel so much pain whenever she as much as thought about it. But Sakura knew better. She was not ready to talk about him yet, and, honestly, it was likely that she never would.

"I don't know," she replied, shrugging lightly. "I just stopped." Her answer couldn't be classified as 'satisfactory', she knew, but she managed to change the subject before any of the girls could come up with another question or comment. With that issue aside, the conversation flowed nicely, as TenTen told them more details about her wedding and they each spoke their minds when they felt like it.

That, until the bride-to-be suddenly squealed and shot up from her seat, receiving frowns and weird looks from the rest of them – which were ignored, by the way. In a flash almost, she was on the other side of the restaurant, hugging a man whose face they couldn't quite make out. Thinking it was just an old friend and knowing that TenTen would probably introduce him to them later, the girls turned back to their conversation; ten seconds later, Sakura's name was loudly yelled, startling and interrupting them once more.

Ino muttered something about being surprised at TenTen's manners – or lack thereof – which made her friends laugh.

But the surprised one ended up being Sakura, when she turned around to see what was so important that made the brunette behave like that and finally caught a glimpse of the mystery person's face. However, she quickly forced herself to recover, as she remembered that she hadn't actually seen him in years – for all she knew, he might be living in New York.

So she stood up and walked towards them, feeling somewhat happy to see him again, now that the initial shock had worn off. Because, really, of all the members of the Uchiha family, she probably liked him the most, regardless of how little she knew about him.

"Hey," she greeted with a smile as soon as she reached them.

Itachi smirked slightly and nodded in return, his signature greeting, before turning his attention back to TenTen, who had demanded it by tugging at the hem of his shirt. It was obvious that she liked him more than she liked Sasuke – which wasn't exactly a surprise, seeing as Itachi wasn't half the asshole he was – so Sakura made a small mental note to have her tell her how she'd met him later on. They had talked a lot about her husband within these past few days, but she had failed to mention that she knew his brother and that – by the looks of it – they were pretty damn close.

Before she could dwell some more on that thought, someone called her name again, successfully brining her back to the present. It wasn't long until she realized that the voice belonged to Ino and that she was currently heading towards her, holding her silver phone in one of her hands.

"Your phone is ringing again and it's pissing me off!" she exclaimed as she came to stand in front of her, sounding annoyed. "I swear, if this man has this much stamina in bed, too, then you're the luckiest girl alive!" With that, she turned on her heel and walked away, leaving the pinkette to deal with the consequences of her actions. Which sucked, to put it mildly.

Although both she and Itachi were adults and had long since passed the stage in which they would get embarrassed upon listening to somebody speak so freely about sex (to be honest, she actually doubted the fact that Itachi's life had even had such a stage), Sakura was not sure she appreciated him knowing that she was basically hiding from his little brother right now.

A quick glance to his face told her that he had already realized what was going on. Itachi was very smart and, unlike his little brother, who preferred to brood and keep things to himself, his day-to-day vocabulary consisting mostly of grunts and noncommittal noises, he had no problem with letting the world know that.

"I want to talk to you," he announced a few moments later, causing Sakura to inwardly groan. She had never liked giving explanations for her actions, and even if she had, this situation was rather special. Itachi was Sasuke's brother – she couldn't just tell him that she was so tired of putting up with his bullshit that she decided to take a little vacation. That would have been just…wrong. However, she didn't want to tell him every single little detail, either. Having the girls know everything was one thing; having to tell _Itachi_ everything was another.

But she knew she had no way out. "Okay," she sighed. "Go ahead."

Itachi shook his head. "Not here. Meet me at Starbucks tonight. We'll talk there."

~•~

Later that evening, Sakura was languidly pulling her jeans on. Although there had never been a second in which she had doubted the fact that she would meet up with him, Itachi hadn't given her an exact hour, so she took her time in getting dressed and thinking this situation through.

Truth to be told, she wasn't entirely sure what to make out of him – he was a pretty interesting character. On the one hand, he could be interpreted as the bad guy, the selfish big brother who ruined Sasuke's life; on the other, as the good one, the caring person who wanted to somehow make up for his mistakes.

Sakura didn't know why, but she had always tended to go for the first option. Perhaps it was because, despite every negative thing she had heard about him, Itachi had always been nice to her. True, he had only been around when they were preparing for the wedding, so she couldn't say she had really gotten to know him, but still. That didn't change the fact that there had been many times when she'd caught herself wondering just how much better everything would have turned out if he had been the one to marry her.

She had always shaken off those thoughts, knowing that dwelling on things that weren't real would do her no good. Now, as she thought back to them, they seemed weird, as if they didn't belong in her head – she almost couldn't believe that they had been there once, that she had actually seriously considered such things.

It might seem impossible and stupid, she knew, and it might make her look crazy if she ever decided to share it with somebody, but Sakura really _was_ happy with her husband. Not with her marriage and with the way things played out in the end, but she knew that, if anyone had actually allowed her to choose between Sasuke and Itachi (or anybody else, for that matter), the outcome wouldn't have changed the slightest bit – because she would have chosen him, for sure.

There was just something about him… She couldn't quite explain it, but it was something that showed her that their relationship had potential of working, that _he_ had potential of making her happy. The enlightening discussion they'd had a few days prior only served to further prove that.

Of course, Sakura couldn't deny that she had felt angry upon realizing that every bad thing that had happened to her since their engagement had been only a result of her husband's stubbornness, but if he was willing to let it go for her – which involved a lot of effort, she knew, since it was one of his most defining traits – then she couldn't be happier.

And if all his phone calls and text messages were any indication, then she could say he really was.

The pinkette wasn't sure how much more time she could spend ignoring him. It was hard – a lot damn harder than she would have ever imagined.

Sometimes, when she wasn't fully exhausted, she would lay awake at night and think about him, wondering if the feeling coursing through her veins really was what she thought it was. Wondering if she truly missed him. Wondering if _he_ missed _her_. Wondering what kind of impact this little stunt of her would have on their…she wanted to say 'reconciliation', but she wasn't sure that was the right term. Wondering how their reunion would go and how their relationship would change once all this was over.

Seriously. What started like a nice, relaxing trip away from all the problems she had back at home, turned into a total nightmare – a nightmare that made her feel anxious and that stopped her from fully enjoying her time with her friends. And the worst part of it all? She found out, not too long ago, that she didn't really give a damn about it. All she wanted was to go back home.

But she was aware of the fact that, for that to happen, she had to go through four more days. And this thing – whatever it was – with Itachi.

She still had no idea what he could possibly want to talk to her about, but since he had refused to discuss it in front of TenTen, she figured it must be something important, or maybe even personal. Although she couldn't fathom what personal issues her brother in law would want to tell her about – she barely knew him, for God's sake! Anyhow, she could never know for sure until she met up with him, right? And since curiosity had been eating at her ever since he uttered those words, Sakura decided she might as well hurry and get it over with.

So she grabbed the nearest shirt she could find – which turned to be a short-sleeved, white one – and the only pair of flats she had brought with her. Usually, she was not a big fan of flats, but she had spent the whole day walking around in high heels, and as comfortable as designer footwear was, Sakura felt like her legs would seriously fail her if she slipped into another pair of six inch heels right now. Then she grabbed her newest acquisition in the domain of bags, threw in her phone and the key (knowing for sure that even Ino was far too tired to suggest going out again), and got out on the door, though not before letting the girls know of her departure.

She arrived at Starbucks within a total of five minutes and found out, as soon as she pushed the door open, that her brother in law was already there. Making her way towards him, she greeted him shortly, knowing from personal experience that there was a very slight chance that he would answer, before sitting down across from him.

"I didn't make you wait for long, did I?" she asked, fully aware of the fact that she'd pretty much left everything to the last minute.

Itachi just shrugged in response. "Not really," he answered. "I just got here."

"Good," she said, involuntary breathing out a sigh of relief. "So, what was _so_ incredibly important that couldn't be discussed in front of TenTen?"

"Always so straightforward, aren't we?" he asked, smirking slightly. "Don't normal people order a coffee or something before launching into asking questions?"

Sakura rolled her eyes, but couldn't keep a smile from appearing on her features. She had been so caught up in judging him and trying to sort good from bad, that she had almost forgotten how entertaining the playful side of him could be. Which was a shame, really, since he had been the only one who managed to make her smile back on her wedding day.

"If that was an offer, then no, thank you. This week, I've drunk enough coffee for a lifetime." She didn't fail to notice his smirk widening, which led her into believing that he probably found it quite amusing that Sakura could now decipher the Uchiha family's non-verbal language. Well, what could she say? After so much time spent around his brother, it was impossible not to, really. "Going back to the matter at hand, why did you call me here?"

He pondered his answer for a moment, before speaking: "Let's just say I wanted to get to know my new sister and that TenTen didn't have to be there to witness it."

"I wouldn't call myself new," she said, watching him skeptically. "I've been married to your brother for two long years."

"You're right," he agreed, nodding lightly. A few moments later, he finally voiced the real reason for which he had wanted to meet up with her. "How are things between you and Sasuke?"

Sakura scoffed before she could stop herself. "How do you think?"

"Bad, I suppose," he replied, and although he seemed to want to add something to that, he kept quiet.

There was a sudden shift in her mood as he brought up Sasuke, and he had sensed it, as always. She just couldn't help it – she couldn't help but feel this irrational _anger_ building up inside of her every time she thought about the two of them and what Itachi had done to her husband. The fact that he was actually here, speaking to her about his little brother with that soft, caring look in his eyes – a look that would hardly be noticed by someone with little experience in this 'domain' – only made things worse.

Sakura knew perfectly well that she didn't have a right to judge him – that was why she liked telling herself that, in fact, she wasn't judging him, but merely analyzing the situation.

She had tried to put herself in his place, and although she knew perfectly well how it felt to have one of your parents order you to sacrifice your life for the family business (or whatever crazy thing they came up with), she couldn't understand how Itachi was able to do something like that, how he could tell his father to fuck off, while knowing perfectly well to what degree that would affect his little brother. For sure, she could have never done the same to Seiji. But maybe that was just because he wasn't with her any longer, and because she felt like she would do _anything_ to have him back.

Whatever the reason, she had no right to do this, to act like such a bitch to him; she had to learn how to control that impulsive side of her. "It's not that bad," she said, shrugging lightly. "I mean…well, I guess they're about to get better. _I hope._ Why do you want to know?"

It was Itachi's turn to shrug. "I was just curious. I haven't seen him in a long time. I wanted to know if he's happy."

"Has it ever occurred to you, even if just for a second, that Sasuke could not, under any circumstances, be happy when your father forced him to marry someone he barely knew?" she couldn't help but ask, raising an eyebrow, as if silently challenging him to find an answer to her question.

"I have always cared about my brother's happiness, Sakura," he told her pointedly, as if having read her mind. "I just happened to have a better vision of it than most of you."

The pinkette raised her eyebrows in confusion. "I don't understand," she confessed.

"Of course you don't," he told her, somehow managing not to make it sound arrogant. "He doesn't, either. But I've always known that, if there was anybody between the two of us that would eventually end up being happy with this arranged marriage, that would be Sasuke."

"Oh." She blinked, pretending to sound innocently surprised, though she wasn't so sure why exactly. "So that was the reason why you, like the caring big brother you've always been, decided to step back and let your father pressure him into doing something that would have been _yours_ to do otherwise."

Upon hearing that, Itachi couldn't help but chuckle. "Someone's bitter," he remarked teasingly. "Are you trying to tell me that you would have liked _me_ to marry you?"

"No," she replied, shaking her head. "I'm just trying to understand all this. I had a brother, too, you know? And I would have never done something like this to him." There. The cards were on the table now. "Not that I care about what you've done and what not, for my life certainly wouldn't have been any different if you had been the one to accept the engagement, but still… What I can't understand, is what you're doing here now, asking me about your brother's happiness."

"You know about Sasuke's lifestyle," he said. It seemed to have nothing to do with what she had just told him, but she was smart enough not to let herself be fooled by that – if he was speaking, then he surely had a point. So she nodded, allowing him to continue. "He needed someone who would force him to settle down. And that someone happened to be you."

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Does it look like I've managed to make him settle down?"

"It's never too late," he answered, shrugging. "I can tell you care about him. If not," he added as soon as he saw her opening her mouth to comment, "you wouldn't be here, with me. You would have either refused to meet me or to talk about your husband. You wouldn't have jumped up to his defense, telling me that what I did was wrong and that I don't really care about him. If you hadn't wanted anything to do with him, you would have simple said that he deserved everything that had happened to you, regardless of that having involved you or not." He finished his speech with a slight smirk, knowing that he had left her speechless.

"…What are you, a freaking psychologist?" she asked when she finally got her voice back.

Itachi just shrugged again. "Not really. I'm just really good at reading people. Sasuke's not a bad person. He's just really confused and fucked up. If given the chance, though, I believe he could make quite a good husband," he said and smirked again, this time at the look on her face when his words reached her ears. "Of course, you're going to have to find a way to change him, to show him that you can offer him much more than anybody else ever could and would."

He paused for a moment. "I'm sure that sounds much more complicated than it actually is. Sasuke's smart, he catches on fast. A few meaningful actions from your part, and he'll realize he needs you in his life. He'll want to give your relationship a try and he'll eventually settle down, like he should have done from the very beginning."

"Well," she sighed, "I hope you're right. Because, I swear to God, this is the very last time I make an effort to fix this."

"Hn," he grunted. "So, I take it Sasuke doesn't know you're in New York?"

Sakura shook her head. "He knows. But he wasn't supposed to."

"I see. For how long have you been missing, Sakura?" he asked, now able to complete this puzzle.

"Five days," she replied with a sigh, leaving back into her seat. "He's been trying to contact me ever since I arrived in New York, but TenTen and the other girls won't let me answer his phone calls."

Itachi chuckled. "I suppose he deserves that. But if you're planning on staying any longer…"

"He'll probable snap and come after me, I know," she finished for him, sighing once more. "I'm not sure to what degree I would _not_ like that. It will be the very first time _he_ runs after me, and not the other way around." And still, the idea of him getting mad because of it seemed to haunt her. She didn't want that, of course. She wanted that sweet side of him to still be out when she got back. She wanted him to still be ready and willing to keep his promise and try to make their marriage work. But at the same time, she wanted him to be the one to give in, to be mad at her for doing the right thing for once.

For the first time in so long, she had a choice – she had a choice, but she didn't know which path to choose, and finding a middle one seemed almost impossible at this point.

"Hn. I leave in two days," Itachi announced, snapping her out of her thoughts. "I have my father's jet, so you can come with me, if you want. Think about it," he encouraged as he stood up. "I don't want to feel like you haven't punished him enough, but you have to understand that giving in might be the best in this situation."

~•~

It was only on Monday that Sasuke finally heard from her.

He was just returning from a late meeting, stressed and annoyed, hell bent on taking whatever documents he needed to finish home, so that he could work on them as soon as he got a good night of much needed sleep. When he grabbed his phone and checked for any missed calls, like he always did, however, his priorities changed in an instant.

To say that he was surprised upon seeing Sakura's name written on the screen would be an understatement. Ever since Neji had provided him with her new phone number, he had been trying to contact her – not only by calling her endlessly, but also by sending her a couple of text messages (which, in typical Sasuke fashion, consisted of two – maximum three – words that told her to answer her fucking phone already). Needless to say, she hadn't returned any of them. And it wasn't like she was too busy to hear her phone ringing; no, she was purposefully ignoring him. At first, that had angered him a whole damn lot; after a while, though, those feelings faded to a dull annoyance.

And just when he was seriously considering giving up, she decided to send him a message. Seriously. Was she trying to drive him crazy, or what?

With a sigh, he sat down behind his desk and made himself comfortable, knowing perfectly well that, as much as he'd like to, there was just no way he could wait until he got home to listen to what his wife had to say in her defense. His fingers pressed the necessary buttons before his brain could even register the action, and he didn't even have time to scold himself for acting on an instinct (which seemed to happen a lot lately and which he hated very much) before her soft voice filled the room.

"_Hey, Sasuke! It's me." _Unintentionally, his breath caught in his throat at the sound of it. _"Um, I'm not sure what I'm supposed to tell you… I guess you already know where I am by now. You must be pretty mad at me because of it, too…" _her voice trailed off as she sighed._ "But I did this for a reason, you know?_

_It's kind of complicated, though, so I want to have you in front of me when I tell you about it. Not answering your phone calls and not returning any of your text messages were part of this…this thing. For some reason or another, though, I…I couldn't just ignore you. I thought I'd manage to, but it turned out not to be so." _She chuckled.

_"That's the reason why I'm locked up in the bathroom and praying to God the girls won't hear me speak, like some kind of burglar who's waiting to be discovered. Although I'm not entirely sure why I'm doing this…" _There was a small pause, and he heard her take a deep breath, before continuing:_ "I guess I just want to let you know that I'm okay. I'll be home in a few days. Oh, and one more thing: I don't care how much of a family friend she is – if Karin is still there when I get back, she's gonna get it. I mean it. So…I'll, um, talk to you soon. Bye!"_

Even after she finished talking, the Uchiha kept staring at the phone in his hand, lost in thought.

For a brief moment, he contemplated hitting reply, just so that he could hear her voice once more, but then shook his head and decided against it. Listening to her speak, but knowing, at the same time, that she was so far away – and that she would remain that way for three more days – would definitely do him no good.

He was already starting to get that funny feeling in his chest again. And he wasn't particularly fond of it. Damn it.

The Uchiha had actually managed to identify it a few days ago – he had yet to give it a name, but he knew what it meant: _he missed her._

(…Which wasn't such a big secret, considering the fact that Neji had noticed long before he, himself, did. And he'd been teasing him about it non-stop. But that's beside the point).

That knowledge was downright annoying, seeing as he considered that it made him weak, but then again, what thing relating to his wife wasn't _and_ didn't? Besides, this whole thing kind of had a good part, too. It made him realize something important: if he, of all the people, missed her, then their relationship really _could_ work. Especially now, since she didn't seem to be mad at him anymore – she wouldn't have called him otherwise, now would she? No, she wouldn't have.

And Sasuke was truly looking forward to that time when they would finally sit down and talk like the two adults they were. To that time when he would finally get a chance to explain everything to her, when she would listen and when they would decide, together, where they went from then on.

Hell, he was almost more eager to have that conversation with her than to see her again. 'Almost' being the operative word, of course.

With a sigh, he threw his phone on the desk and raised his head to look at the clock that hung on the way – it showed ten thirty in the evening. Standing up, he decided it was high time he went home already. _Home_ – to that empty living room, empty kitchen, empty bed.

Huh. Maybe he would get her to sleep with him when she came back from New York. Lately, it had been hard for him to fall asleep without a warm body beside him.

(Sasuke decided not to dwell too much on how incredibly weird and fucked up that was).

~•~

"You want to know what I'm thinking right now?" Ino asked after a particularly intense conversation about her friend's marriage.

They were all in the Jacuzzi, relaxing and sipping from their drinks every once in a while, and had been debating this subject for almost an hour now.

"I'm not sure," she answered, knowing that she was most likely going to share with them another one of the crazy conclusions she had come up to.

The blonde pretended not to have heard her. "I think you both need to get laid," she stated bluntly. "With one another, I mean."

Sakura groaned. She should have known that, sooner or later, it would all come down to this. "Ino…"

"I'm serious, Sak," she said. "I mean, yeah, he's willing to work it out and so are you, but that's not enough. You guys need passion. You need something else than a past full of mistakes to bond you. If you really wanna make this work, you need to fall for one another." She paused for a moment. "Well, _realize_ your feelings for one another," she corrected.

"We don't –" the pinkette tried to protest, but she immediately shushed her, reminding her that she was the one speaking and that she hadn't finished yet.

"As I was saying, the circumstances are complicated. Intense, raw emotions like these always come out during sex – and that's a fact."

It wasn't long until TenTen sided with her. "She's right."

"I agree." And then Temari.

Hinata was her only hope, but she ended up betraying her, as well. "I hope you're not expecting me to get on your side, just because I'm not entirely comfortable with this subject," she said as she noticed the pleading look Sakura sent her. "They're right. Period."

"See?" Ino pressed. "You guys need to have sex. And really soon, at that," she said.

Sakura sighed. "Girls, I think you got the wrong impression here," she told them. "Sasuke and I have only kissed _once_ in two years and it wasn't even a proper French kiss. We haven't made out or done anything remotely sexual. Hell, we hated each other up until only a few days ago!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air.

"Don't let appearances fool you, honey," TenTen said. "Hate is a feeling that can't possibly disappear so quickly – only when it turns into something else: into love." She smiled, knowing that she had hit a soft spot by saying that, but decided not to press on the matter anymore. "That's not the point, though."

"No, it isn't." Temari joined the conversation, a small smirk present on her features as she spoke her next words: "Tell me, Sakura, have you ever tried to _seduce_ him?"

Said person's mouth almost dropped open in shock. "Are you kidding me? Of course not!" she exclaimed. "If that idea ever occurred to me, it would have been because I had a very specific purpose hidden behind it – that is, catch him at his weakest and kill him."

"Well that, my dear, was a terrible mistake," she told her, shaking her head.

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really?"

"Yup." She nodded. "It could have gotten you two together a lot earlier than this, you know?"

"For sure," the pinkette admitted. "But he was too full of shit back then, Temari. He would have probably rejected me if I tried. Imagine how that would have felt like."

Upon hearing her words, Ino couldn't help but scoff. "Men never reject women with no clothes on, stupid," she told her. "It doesn't matter who the woman is. Show them boobs, and their brain just shuts off, making place for their libido. Like, really," she emphasized.

"I think you're forgetting something," Sakura said, rolling her eyes. "We've been living together for two long years. I have never tried to seduce him, but I'm a woman, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't like the surplus of confidence that feeling sexy offers you. My clothes aren't exactly ones of a nun. I _have_ lingerie. And I _do_ wear it outside the confines of my room. And he _has_ seen me in it – multiple times, actually." She paused, eyeing her friends. "I don't think there's need for me to tell you more."

It was Ino's turn to roll her eyes. "It's not just about wearing sexy clothes, Sakura," she explained. "It's about wearing sexy clothes with a purpose. Men feel when you have one, just like they feel when you don't." She shrugged, taking a sip of her drink. "That's what truly makes the difference."

"That being said, I think we're going to have to visit New York's lingerie stores before leaving," TenTen said, a smirk adorning her features.

"Absolutely!" Ino exclaimed before anyone else could speak. "You're going to have to forgive me for using your wedding as a hook-up, TenTen, but _I_ need to find myself a man!"

"What makes you think you'll find him at her wedding?" Hinata asked, clearly amused with her friend's behavior.

The blonde opened her mouth to speak, but Temari interrupted her before any sound came out. "She's been eyeing one of Neji's friends for a while now," she explained.

"Yeah," said girl confirmed, nodding. "And if, even with a super short dress and a pair of power panties, I still can't catch his eye, then at least I'll know he's gay."

And that was all she needed to say for the girls to burst into fits of laughter.

~•~

TenTen had definitely kept her promise. The next day, she had dragged Sakura through every lingerie store available, and had not, under any circumstances, allowed her to exit one of them without having purchased at least one item. By the time they finally finished, the pinkette was fairly sure that she now had enough lingerie to fill an entire suitcase.

What she wasn't so sure about was if – when, where, how, etc. – she was going to wear it.

While she could always dress up and look nice for herself, like she had done until now, Sakura knew that wasn't exactly what her friends had had in mind when they'd filled her arms with sexy bras and flimsy panties and ushered her to the nearest dressing rooms; truth to be told, that wasn't what she'd had in mind, either.

This week she had spent with the girls had been relaxing and enlightening; it had helped her see things more clearly and understand that, in spite of everything Sasuke had done to her, their relationship really _could_ work, a thing she had never been entirely sure about, even as she gave him that speech about taking chances and what not.

As she packed her bags, and recalled everything they had told her, every advice she had been given and every revelation she'd had over the course of these past few days, Sakura realized that, damn it, this was really happening. This was real – _this was it. _Finally, she was going back home, to her husband, to take whatever he decided to throw at her for leaving – because she was acutely aware that, even though he had received her message for sure, he had not called her back – and then really give him that second chance she'd been bragging about.

That knowledge was exciting, yes, but it was also kind of frightening.

She had tried many time to catch his eye, to make him see her, so it wasn't like she didn't know what to do, but the simple fact that she now had the certitude that he would pay her attention and that he would try, as much as he could and in his own way, to help her make things work, was more than enough to punch a hole through her confidence.

Regardless of all that, the following day, she found herself at the airport, scowling at her brother-in-law as his girlfriend chatted loudly on the phone a few meters away. Said person stood in front of her with a smug expression plastered on his face, as if he'd just won some kind of secret battle.

Sakura, of course, knew exactly what that battle was about; she also knew that she was the looser. She had given in – she was going home earlier than planned, like Itachi had evidently predicted (since his girlfriend seemed to have known of Sakura's presence on the flight back home way before she had even made an appearance).

At that point, though, Sakura couldn't bring herself to care about stupid 'competitions' and what not – whether for fear or excitement, she didn't know.

All she knew was that she felt like she couldn't wait for the plane to take off. She couldn't wait to arrive home. She couldn't wait to finally break that façade she had been wearing for years and just be herself around her husband. She couldn't wait to give her marriage another try.

She couldn't wait for her new life to start.

* * *

_A/N: Well, that came out longer than initially planned, so I hope you're satisfied for the time being. _

_Although it had rarely come up before, Sakura and Itachi do have a history together, which explains the way they behaved around each other and easily (as easily as you can, seeing as Itachi is an Uchiha and has to be treated as such) communicated. I tried to keep Itachi in character, which is something I still have a bit of a problem with; I hope it worked out right. _

_I didn't write the part in which Sakura decided to call Sasuke, because that was really all there was to it – Sakura giving in, because she thought she was being unfair. _

_As for the timeline (cause I've struggled quite a lot with it), the girls were supposed to leave on a Thursday; Sakura left on a Tuesday. Just thought I should clear that up, in case it was confusing._

_Overall, I think the next chapter will be fairly easy to write, since I've been chewing on it for a super long time, so I hope I'll be able to respect the deadline – which is July 25th. After that, there won't be any updates till August 22nd, since I'll be out of country for two weeks, starting with the 1st. It sucks, I know, but I have a real life, too. The good news? There's gonna be a lemon in chapter 21. _

_So, surprisingly enough, I managed to find outfits for every girl. However, I'll post them along with the wedding chapter, since, technically, that's when they're gonna wear them.  
But you can find Sakura's clothes from this chapter on my profile._

_You know the deal: 1 review = 1 cookie. So, review! :)_


	20. Good To Be Back Home

_A/N: Hi! I must say, this chapter has been rather easy to write, since it contains a lot of talking and few thinking, so here it is. I actually finished it two days earlier, and I was very happy that I would finally get to update earlier than planned, but I went away for the weekend before I could re-read it and make sure I didn't mess anything up. I tried to force my parents to wait until I did this, but my mother warned me that if I wasn't ready in half an hour, they would leave without me. I didn't want that, of course, and since doing my make-up takes me just about that, I decided it would be better if I got down to business. _

_Anyway. Thank you all for your reviews! I'd love to answer – or at least mention – all of them, but that's impossible. However, know that I read and appreciate each and every single one of them. Thank you!_

_Warning: this time, I tried not to get lost in describing everything and jumped straight into action. I'm not sure how well it turned out – I truly hope it doesn't seem rushed. Enjoy!_

_

* * *

_

**_Incomplete  
_**_By The Terrorist_

**_Chapter twenty  
_**_Good To Be Back Home  
_

_

* * *

_

When Sakura finally arrived home that day, she was exhausted – completely and utterly spent. She had never thought Itachi could be annoying, since his vocabulary was much bigger than his little brother's and since he actually knew how to form sentences, but she was proved wrong today. She hated being teased – absolutely _loathed_ it – and, unsurprisingly, that was exactly what he went for. Had it not been for his girlfriend sitting right next to him, she would have probably opened the door and thrown him out of the plane. Like, really.

Because of that, her only wish right now consisted of a hot bath, soft satin sheets, and a good nap that would preferably last till the sun went down. Sasuke and their conversation could wait, she decided, especially since she was fairly sure he would be at work at this time of the day, anyway.

As she entered the house, however, an uneasy feeling washed over her, alerting her that something was wrong. Abandoning her luggage in the foyer, she slowly made her way towards the living room. What she saw there shocked her – shocked her, and made her want to scream out loud and to _slowly _and_ painfully_ kill a certain somebody.

She was there – the fucking redhead. She was comfortably spread out on the couch, her heels-clad legs resting on the coffee table; just like the last time she had seen her, her eyes were fixed on her lap, carelessly scanning through a magazine. Upon sensing her presence, she looked up, a smirk slowly stretching on her features – probably as she noticed the shock written on Sakura's face.

Slowly standing up, the pinkette barely had time to admire her slutty outfit (she had chosen neutral colors, she'd give her that; but the shirt was too short, the jeans too tight, the heels too high and her fucking _bra_ was showing!), before she started talking and all her focus went to the venom spilling out of her mouth.

"My, my," she said, her hands coming to rest on her hips. "The princess is finally back. I must say, Sakura, I probably enjoyed your little vacation more than you did."

"Excuse me?" Sakura hissed, still too shocked to come up with a smarter reply. She had always known that Karin was a bitch, but she had never believed she could show it so openly, without any trace of embarrassment noted. "What the fuck are you still doing here?"

Karin's smirk widened, one of her hands coming up to curl a lock of red hair around her finger. "You left, didn't you? I took that as a sign that I could, you know, move in."

"Oh," the pinkette said, nodding. "So, just because I left, you thought I was giving you permission to get into my husband's bed?"

"Well, you _did_ tell me I could have him," she pointed out. "But it isn't like I needed your permission, anyway."

Sakura raised her eyebrows. "No?" she asked, pretending to be confused.

"Nope." The redhead shook her head. "Never have and never will. After all, it's his choice, isn't it? I just happen to be there when he needs certain _things_ that you don't give to him," she explained, shrugging innocently.

Smiling a wide – yet fake – smile, Sakura took a few steps closer to her, crossing her arms over her chest. "You're one helpful bitch, aren't you?" she asked, sugar coating her words.

Karin only shrugged again. "Think what you want," she said, waving her off. "I don't care. Nothing will change the fact that, behind closed doors, _Sasuke_ is _mine_."

'_This is it. There's nothing saving her now.'_

Sakura had never been extremely possessive – especially not of her husband – so she wasn't entirely sure what was about that sentence that made her snap. But it did. The anger that had slowly been building inside her erupted to the surface, taking over her body, and before she even realized what was happening, a loud smack resounded through the empty room.

It took her a few seconds to realize that she had actually slapped her. However, instead of feeling sorry for her (like her conscience told her she should) and retreating before Karin had a chance to backfire, the pinkette reached out and grabbed a fistful of her hair, pulling hard enough to make her cry out.

Karin, although shocked beyond limits, didn't waste a second in responding and grabbing her own handful of her rival's hair.

And hell broke loose.

~•~

Tuesday morning found Sasuke at home, in his office, doing the paperwork he had taken with him the night before. The emptiness of the house annoyed him, and had it not been for his laziness, he would have probably gone to work instead. The location didn't matter, since he pretty much did the same thing wherever he happened to be – it was always about work. Always, always, always.

It seemed like today was no different – except for the fact that his mother decided to come to visit, accompanied by the redhead. Sasuke raised an eyebrow as he saw them, unsure of her reasons for both being here and for bringing that woman along. Uchiha Mikoto was not an idiot – she could read people by simply glancing at them, and Karin had never been on her list of favorite persons.

Upon seeing the expression plastered on his face, she hastened to explain – discretely and elegantly, since the redhead was right next to her, smiling at Sasuke – that she kept following her around and that, as much as she had tried, she was unable to get rid of her. With a roll of his eyes and a glare, the Uchiha promptly grabbed his mother's arm and dragged her to his office, slamming the door behind them and leaving the redhead alone in the living room. It had been a rather childish gesture, he knew, but as long as it served to keep her away from him, Sasuke couldn't care less.

When he changed the subject and asked her about her reasons for being here, Mikoto only shrugged and told him she'd wanted to pay him a visit. Although such an event was rare, Sasuke was not surprised. He and his mother had always had a special relationship; while his father's favorite son had always been – and would probably always be Itachi – things reversed when it came to his mother's preferences. Of course, she loved both of her children equally, but the connection that existed between she and Sasuke had always been stronger, and that had never been a secret to anybody.

When he first moved out of his parents' house, Mikoto would continuously ask to have him over for dinner, or would force her way into his apartment and cook something for him. The whole charade had annoyed him for a while, but then he realized that she was only doing this because she loved him, so he started to appreciate it more; besides, he was hopeless in the kitchen, anyway.

Things changed when he married Sakura. Although their relationship remained the same, the amount of contact they had was now limited. Due to certain _tensions_ that now existed between him and his father, she rarely invited him for dinner anymore, and now that he was married and she had finally realized that he was actually a grown-up, she didn't cook for him anymore.

However, she did call him from time to time, or came to visit him, kindly asking him how things were going between him and Sakura, and subtly dropping hints about how unfair he was being and how incredibly _stupid_ he was for not noticing the beautiful woman he had by his side.

This was pretty much the first time Sasuke found himself agreeing with her. But he didn't tell her that, and when asked about his wife's location, he simply shrugged and said she was on a trip.

Neji had scolded him enough on the matter; he didn't need his mother to do the same thing.

"Why are you so stubborn?" she asked softly at some point in their conversation, but didn't let him answer. "I understand that you're mad because you've been forced to marry her, but it's been so long since then… Why won't you open your eyes and at least _try_ to see this whole situation in another light? Why won't you try to make the best out of it? She's such a sweet girl, Sasuke. She doesn't deserve this – she doesn't deserve being treated like this."

Although he fought hard not to, Sasuke couldn't help but roll his eyes at her words. "I know that already," he snapped, annoyed.

"Well, it certainly doesn't seem like you do," his mother retorted, her tone harsher.

Before Sasuke could give in and launch into providing her with a full summary and a big explanation for the events that had happened during the course of the past week, a loud scream was heard, startling both of them. In a rush of movements, the Uchiha was up on his feet and out of the room, more alarmed and curious, than worried about the redhead's safety.

What he saw when he finally arrived in the living room, however, made him stop dead in his tracks: his pink haired wife, on the couch, on top of Karin, looking extremely busy with trying to pull her hair out.

Almost instantly, her words from last night's message came back to him – _"__I don't care how much of a family friend she is – if Karin is still there when I get back, she's gonna get it. I mean it." _

Truth to be told, he would have never thought she was actually being serious when she'd told him that. But that might have had something to do with the fact that he had sworn to make sure the redhead wouldn't be there when she came back. (Because the stupid bitch had a habit of showing up every once in a while, just to see how he was doing and if he hadn't changed his mind about fucking her). The only reason why he allowed her to remain in the living room while he talked to his mother, instead of plainly kicking her out, was because he had been sure that Sakura wouldn't arrive for five more days.

But of course, life just _had_ to fuck with him. It hadn't done so since Friday, which was a very long period of time, and it obviously missed it.

Karin's scream snapped him out of his thoughts, and although a very big part of him wanted to pretend he hadn't heard and let Sakura kill her, he decided it would be better if he stopped her from doing so. But that was only because he didn't want _her_ to get hurt in the process.

With that thought in mind, he quickly made his way towards the couch and grabbed Sakura by the waist, easily lifting her up and pulling her off the redhead. As soon as his arms closed around her, she let out a long stream of profanities and began to wave her legs in the air, her nails working to scratch his arms – which was a task rather hard to complete, seeing as he had a shirt on. Regardless, her point was made – she was mad at him. (And she probably wanted to kill him more than she wanted to kill Karin – that being a side note that he had made).

"She's crazy, Sasuke-kun!" the redhead in question exclaimed as she stood up, trying to appear frightened, but not quite able to hide the smug look from her eyes. It was obvious that she had screamed for different reasons than Sasuke had initially thought. "She came in here and attacked me, just like that, all of a sudden!"

The pinkette tensed upon hearing that, and before he even realized what had happened, she was out of his arms and attached to Karin's hair once more.

That was the scene Mikoto came across when she finally worked up the courage to follow her son. Her hand flew up to cover her mouth, but not because she was horrified by the catfight unfolding before her eyes; it was more because she was trying – desperately, but to no avail – to stifle her laughter.

She had never considered Sakura to be a violent person, but it seemed like she had been wrong. And although, under normal circumstances, she wouldn't have liked to find out such a thing, now she couldn't be happier about it. Karin had been infatuated with her son for far too long and she had done everything in her power to get him; she needed a lesson – and who better to give it to her than Sakura?

Albeit reluctantly – since he probably agreed with her on that matter – Sasuke separated them again, stepping in front of his wife to prevent her from attacking Karin again. It soon became obvious that the object of her anger had switched from the redhead to her husband, though, because she placed her hands on his back and pushed, sending him stumbling forward a little.

"What's your problem?" he asked as he turned to face her, genuinely confused.

"You!" she screamed back at him. "You are my only problem, Sasuke! You've always been my problem!" And with that, she turned away and crossed the room, quickly disappearing upstairs.

Sasuke blinked and stood still for a moment, before recovering. "Sakura!" he yelled and ran after her, leaving behind a stupefied Karin and a smiling Mikoto. Both of their expressions changed soon enough, though, as an expensive-looking vase crashed before the staircase, followed by a loud: _"Don't fucking follow me!"_

Quickly snapping out of her shock-induced haze, Karin turned to Mikoto in an effort to keep the victim façade up. She opened her mouth to speak, but before any sound could come out, the Uchiha matriarch held her hand up, the international sign for 'shut the fuck up'.

"You totally deserved it," she told her sternly. "You and I both know that."

"I am not the negative character here," the redhead announced after a moment of silence, "and I don't deserve being treated as such." Then she stomped out of the living room, pushing past Itachi, who was just entering, and slamming the front door behind her. The confused Uchiha turned his head to look after her for a second, before returning his gaze towards his mother, a questioning glint in his eyes.

Mikoto, although having noticed that, didn't bother to answer, knowing that her son would soon make connections on his own. "What are you doing here?" she asked instead, frowning lightly.

Itachi took a moment in answering, his surprise-filled eyes still fixed on the broken vase from the floor. "I saw your car," he finally said, walking towards her. "I realized _she_ must have followed you, and since I pretty much imagined Sakura's reaction, I came to see what I could do to keep them from killing each other."

It wasn't like him to give such long, descriptive answers, but his mother had long since made it clear that, when around her, she wanted her children to actually speak. Having always respected her, both he and his little brother had yet to break that rule.

"Oh," she said, then paused for a moment, her eyes shifting to the remains of the vase, as well. "You were a little bit too late, though."

Shrugging and grunting quietly in response, Itachi allowed a small smirk to spread onto his features. "Never thought that pinky had it in her, did you?" he said, trying to fight back the pride that swelled inside of him at the simple thought of his sister-in-law plucking the redhead's hair out.

"Not really, no," his mother admitted, shaking her head. "She always seemed so calm and collected… and, well, given the fact that she had been _forced_ to marry him, I never thought I'd get to see the day when she'd fight with another girl over Sasuke."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," he said. "But I don't think that _she_ is the problem here. Remember Hinata?"

Mikoto looked up at him then, confusion shining in her dark eyes. "Hyuuga Hinata? Of course. Why? What does she have to do with this?"

"Nothing." He shrugged. "I just have a feeling that even _she_ would have snapped – and much earlier, at that – had she been through all the things my brother had done to Sakura."

"He's really mean to her, isn't he?" she asked after a moment of silence, biting her lower lip. "I swear to God, I don't know what to do with him anymore. Every time he's around her, every time someone mentions her name… he just turns into this…this totally different person – a person that I haven't raised, a person that I…that I don't even know."

Itachi shook his head at her words, catching the feelings behind them. "You shouldn't blame yourself because your son – and I profoundly apologize for my choice of words – has a stick up his ass and won't get it out no matter what others say or do. Believe me, it simply _can't_ be your fault."

After a moment spent processing his words, Mikoto shook her head and laughed lightly. "Apology accepted," she declared with a smile. Her hands reached out and grabbed his as she spoke again, changing the subject. "I'm happy you decided to visit," she said. "Tell me, for how long do you plan on staying?"

"I don't know," he answered. "Father said he wanted to talk to me about – "

"Business, of course," his mother cut him off. "That doesn't stop me from fussing over you, though." She smiled widely and he couldn't help but roll his eyes. "I was thinking of getting all of us together for dinner tonight. Is Keiko with you?" she asked.

"Yes," he said, nodding. "But she decided to stay in the car. She said she was tired." He frowned lightly as he said this, not quite able to understand what was it about going with him that would make her collapse from exhaustion.

His mother was quick at clearing it up for him, though. "Female intuition," she stated with a confident nod.

"Apparently," he answered dryly, having already come to terms with the fact that he would probably never learn to understand women and how their minds worked. He was just about to open his mouth and announce her that he should leave, but a loud crash from upstairs, followed by a muffled yell (which sounded more like a "Fuck you, Sasuke!" to him) interrupted him.

Both mother and son stood quiet for a few moments, before a small smile broke onto her face and she looked up at him once more. "I…suppose there's no use asking Sasuke to come to dinner tonight," she said, amusement coating her words.

Itachi smirked. "No, I don't think so," he said. "By the sounds of it, he'll probably be dead – or at the ER – by dinner-time."

~•~

"I can't believe you've done this to me!" Sakura screamed as soon as they entered her room, whipping around to face him. "All I wanted – and I said it in that motherfucking message – was her not be here when I came back! You could have fucked her all you wanted while I was gone – I just didn't need to have that shoved into my face! And you couldn't even do that, you stupid son-of-a-bitch?"

Without thinking, she grabbed the nearest object – which happened to be another vase – and threw it at him, aiming directly for his head. Unfortunately, he was quick and moved out of the way, causing the vase to shatter against the door.

"Fuck you, Sasuke!" she yelled, frustrated (in her anger-induced haze) that she hadn't managed to hit him.

"Sakura!" he exclaimed, shocked at her sudden display of violence. "For fuck's sake, control yourself!"

"Control myself?" she shrieked. "You're telling me to control myself? I'll show you control!" she yelled, then turned around for a brief second, her eyes searching for another item to throw at him.

The Uchiha refused to give her that chance, though; in a flash almost, he was behind her, roughly grabbing her arm and turning her to face him.

"Let me go, you imbecile!" she spat as he did this, desperately trying to free herself from his grasp.

"Stop it!" he ordered. When she refused to listen and started to hit and push him with her free hand instead, he let her go, only to seize both of her wrists and force them behind her back, pulling her against him and trapping her in some sort of embrace. "Karin is only here because she keeps following my mother around like a lost puppy," he explained, ignoring her protests and struggles. "She hasn't slept _one_ night here, especially _not_ in my bed."

Sakura laughed upon hearing that – a sharp, sarcastic bark. "And you expect me to believe that?" she asked, glaring up at him.

"Yes," he answered firmly, looking at her dead in the eye. "Yes, I do."

Although, she had to admit, the seriousness written on his face and the absolute sincerity he had spoken with really _did_ make her resolve crumble and the walls she had put around her to lower for a moment, she hid that reaction carefully. "Well, I don't!" she said, stubbornly holding her ground, but stopped struggling at last.

"What the fuck, Sakura?" he hissed, annoyed. "What the hell do you want me to do? Bring witnesses to you?"

"Yes, actually," she answered, and then rolled her eyes at the glare he gave her. "What? Don't tell me you expect me to believe you, just like that, just because you say so."

"Fine!" he spat, abruptly letting her go and taking a step back. "Fine! You want witnesses? I'll give you witnesses! You can ask…" he trailed off for a moment, his brain working hard to remember the girl's name, before giving up and continuing, "…you can ask that girl…the one who cleans up."

The pinkette rolled her eyes once more. "Yuki, Sasuke," she spat. "Her name is Yuki. You're so stupid you can't even remember the name of your employees?"

"Whatever, Sakura," he said, and purposefully ignored her last sentence, as he was not in the mood for another fight with her. "Ask her," he encouraged, his voice calmer and much softer. "I'll come back later, when you've calmed down. And then we'll talk." Those were the last words he said to her, before turning around and exiting the room, quietly closing the door behind him.

"Fuck you," she muttered to herself after he had left, flopping down on the bed and crossing her arms over her chest in an almost childish manner.

There was no denying the fact that she absolutely _hated_ it when he did this – when he stormed off without giving her a chance to retort or fight back. He did everything in his power to always have the last word, and in her opinion, that was a gesture of superiority – superiority he didn't have, at least when put next to her.

He was just an arrogant, self-centered prick – and a cheating one, at that – and, for a moment, it occurred to her that she had been really stupid to believe that, under that façade of his, there was a totally different person – a better person – and that _she_, of all the people, would be able coax it out.

But only for a moment. Because she soon remembered what he had told her, how confident he had sounded, how secure he seemed to be in the knowledge that he had done nothing wrong.

Besides, Sasuke never lied. Why? The answer was written above: he was an arrogant prick. The guy honestly doubted that anyone could do him any harm for speaking the truth, and he cared way too little for the people around him (and their feelings, for that matter) to make an effort and lie.

That was the reason why, as soon as she heard his car exit the driveway, she stood up and exited her room, running downstairs at full-speed.

"Yuki!" she hollered as she paused at the base of the stairs, unsure of which way to go. She was certain that Tuesday was one of her work-days, so she didn't worry about her not being here; she just hoped she didn't have music blasting in her earphones, for she was definitely _not_ in the mood to search out the entire house.

It seemed like luck was on her side, at least in this particular situation, because it wasn't long until she could hear her reply. "Yes, miss!" In a matter of seconds, she was before her, gazing at her with confused, baby-blue eyes. Yuki was a blonde-haired seventeen year old, bubbly and constantly happy, her innocence and childish naïveté making it hard for her to hide her curiosity.

If there was anybody who knew the truth about what had happened while she was gone – and who wouldn't hesitate in telling it to her – that person was, without a trace of doubt, Yuki.

"I'm going to ask you a question," she announced, "and I'm going to need your answer to be completely sincere, okay?"

Although obviously dumbfounded, the girl managed to nod. "Yes, miss."

"Tell me, did that…that red-haired _thing_ spend the week in my house?" she asked.

"No, miss," Yuki answered, shaking her head.

Sakura blinked. "Are you sure?"

This time, she nodded. "Yes, miss."

"Think about it," she encouraged, her brain seeming to have trouble processing such a simple answer. Being used to complications, it wanted details and explanations. "I know you're here only two days a week, but anything you might have seen or heard…anything might be important," she told her.

"Well," the girl started, thinking back to the previous week in an effort to come up with an answer, "I'm here on Tuesday and on Friday. I heard you fighting last Tuesday."

Sakura nodded in agreement. "Yes. But after I left? Do you have any idea what Sasuke said or did to her?"

"Yeah. I listened, cause I was curious," she admitted, smiling sheepishly. "He told her to leave. He said you will come back and that he didn't want her to be here when you did."

"O-kay," the pinkette answered, slowly, a bit surprised at what she had just been told. She fought to keep a smile from appearing on her face as she continued, eager to find out more. "And on Friday? Did anything happen on Friday?"

Yuki took a moment to think about it, before answering. "Um, yes," she said. "Mr. Uchiha was getting ready to leave, I think, when she appeared again. I'm not sure what they talked about, cause I was too faraway to hear, but he yelled at her at some point. And then he kicked her out. Like, really. He didn't _tell_ her to leave – he kicked her out."

"You sure?" Sakura asked, astonished.

The girl nodded. "Absolutely," she said. "I actually went out in the living room when that happened. I couldn't help myself, and I know it was wrong, but at the same time, it was totally worth it. I mean, I always thought Mr. Uchiha was super educated and stuff, but I saw him _dragging_ her outside. It was better than watching TV, I swear!"

Upon hearing that, Sakura could help but laugh – whether out of amusement and relief, she wasn't sure at this point. "Thank you, Yuki," she said, smiling.

"No problem, miss." The girl winked and gave a smile of her own, before turning around and walking away.

Millions of thoughts buzzing through her mind, the pinkette waited until the girl was out of the room, before allowing herself to breathe out a sigh of relief.

'_He was telling the truth,'_ she thought, involuntary breaking into a smile. _'I knew he wouldn't do this to me.'_

~•~

Later that day, Sasuke lazily entered the house, slowly dragging his feet towards the living room; he took off his jacket and, with a heavy sigh, flopped down on the couch, leaning back and stretching his legs before him, an arm carelessly thrown over his eyes.

After the scene his wife had caused earlier, he truly had no idea what to expect from her; she had never reacted that violently before, and while he knew she must have calmed down by now, he wasn't at all eager to go upstairs and face her. Funny, wasn't it? How he had waited all these days to have a conversation with her, and now that she was here, he didn't know what else to do in order to postpone it for as long as possible.

Don't get me wrong, he was very glad and very relieved that she had finally come back home; of course, everything would have been so much better if she hadn't walked in on Karin spread out on her couch, but this kind of things happen, and he was at ease with the thought that, really, there was nothing he could have done to prevent that. He had done nothing wrong, so he had nothing to hide.

What had really bothered him had been her reaction – how easily she had jumped to the conclusion that he had totally ignored what she had said (and done) and had allowed Karin to stay in their house.

In a way, he knew he deserved it. She had said it herself: after all the things he had put her through, he was anything but trustworthy.

But after having opened up to her like he had never done with anyone before, after having told her all those things, after having struggled to find and give her explanations for each and every single one of his actions… after all that, a part of him couldn't help but wonder: how the hell could she _not_ trust him?

As that question made its way into his mind, Sasuke groaned and lightly kicked the coffee table with his right foot. The situation was annoyingly complicated and thinking about it was doing him no good. Especially since he knew perfectly well that everything was _his_ fault, including those small things that appeared to have the potential of being partially blamed on her.

He was just about to stand up, with the intention of going upstairs to find her, when a soft hand buried itself into his inky locks, causing his eyes to snap open in surprise. For a moment, he didn't quite understand what was happening, until he looked up and saw her hovering over him, an almost guilty expression plastered on her face.

"Hey," she greeted softly, locking gazes with him for a brief moment, before looking away.

As expected from him, Sasuke didn't answer, choosing instead to watch her as she removed her hand from his hair and walked around the couch, sitting down next to him, at a relatively small distance. She was now dressed casually, he remarked as he studied her, in a simple, pink tank top and a pair of white shorts; she wore no shoes and no make-up, her hair pulled back in a neat ponytail.

"I…I talked to Yuki," she announced in a small, almost hesitant voice. She bit her lower lip and avoided meeting his eyes, playing nervously with her nails as she waited for him to speak.

Not knowing what to tell her – and downright _refusing_ to yell something like 'See? See? I told you so. But nooo, you just had to be stubborn and not believe me!' – the Uchiha chose the easy way out, answering her with a quiet grunt. After that, they were both silent for a while, their minds working to come up with a way of starting a conversation, but failing miserably.

Surprisingly, it was him who ended up giving in and breaking the silence. "Why did you do that, Sakura?" he asked.

"Why did I leave?" She felt the need for clarification, and when she looked up and saw him nod, she shrugged uninterestedly. Her mood shifted 180 degrees when she realized he wasn't going to shove her mistake into her face, causing her confidence to return. "What was Karin to you, Sasuke?" she asked instead of answering, not feeling like the person who had explanations to give – at least not yet.

Sasuke frowned lightly upon hearing her, but wasted no second in giving her an answer: "Nothing."

"And what is she to you now?" she questioned again, her green eyes boring into his.

He swallowed heavily then, finally realizing where she was going with this. "Even less than that," he said.

"Then why did you do it?" she asked. "Why did you defend her? Why are you still siding with her?"

"I didn't. I'm not." He shook his head. "As I told you, she's nothing. She's not worth your attention. She's not worth your anger. She's not worth us fighting. I thought that, by letting her be delusional, like she usually is, you would understand just how little she means to me," he explained. "I still don't get where that went wrong," he added after a brief pause.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "I'm not psychic!" she snapped. "I would have understood, no doubt about that, if you had just sat down and _talked_ to me about it."

"I am now," he defended, sitting up straighter. "Let's face it: back then, I wasn't given a chance to do so. You stormed off like crazy!"

"And you cared so much, that you didn't even bother with calling me afterwards," she shot back sarcastically.

"I figured you needed time," he told her. "Time to think, to sort through things…to come to the conclusion I hoped you'd come to." He paused for a moment. "I never imagined you'd do something…like that."

"You thought I was going to come back, actually," the pinkette corrected him. "Like I usually do, right?"

After a moment, albeit hesitantly, Sasuke nodded. "Yes," he said.

"You took me for granted," she continued. "You always do."

"Probably," he answered with a shrug, not wanting to sound all serious and blunt, and knowing perfectly well what it would do to her.

As expected, it wasn't long until she was gapping at him. "You're an ass," she told him, completely sincere, after a few moments of silence.

Upon hearing her, Sasuke found himself unable to contain his smirk. "Pretty much so," he admitted.

"I am _not_ your possession, Uchiha!" she hissed, clearly annoyed. "One day, I'm going to get fed up with all this, and when that happens, I won't give a _damn_ about appearances. I will leave and I will never look back! I swear to you!" As much as she tried to be firm and convincing, the only thing she managed to achieve was to get her husband's smirk to widen.

"No, you won't," he stated, so confidently that she almost believed him. She kept that reaction well-hidden, though, and firmly held her ground.

"Yes, I will, Sasuke. Just because we're not supposed to get a divorce doesn't mean we _can't_ get one. And if you keep doing thi – "

She would have wanted to continue, to keep the confident, independent woman façade up for a little longer, but he cut her off before she had a chance to. In one fluid movement, his hands cupped her face and yanked her towards him, pressing his lips to hers. The pinkette gasped at the movement, not having expected it in the least, and he took that as an opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth.

And, just like that, her façade splintered into tiny little pieces, along with her resolve. The world around her disappeared in an instant, leaving her aware of only one thing – _his lips on hers. _

It was nothing like the first kiss they had shared. This time, his mouth was ravenous – he kissed her fiercely, sucking and nipping at her lips, his tongue exploring every inch of her cavern. He pulled away from her after what seemed like an eternity, leaving her breathless and dazed; her eyes felt heavy, and for a moment, she could have sworn that, if someone asked her what day it was, she wouldn't know how to answer.

"You won't do anything," he said, his husky voice snapping her out of her thoughts and bringing her back to the present. "You won't do anything, because you won't need to. I'll make sure of that."

* * *

_A/N: About the fight scene…well, I didn't want it to be overly-dramatic. Looking back, I decided there has been more than enough drama for now, so I tried to keep it light and even funny. I know everything might have seemed totally chaotic, with Sakura kicking Karin's ass, then lashing out at Sasuke, with Mikoto and her thoughts, with Karin and her bitchy attitude, with Sasuke's confusion and Itachi's sudden appearance, but let me tell you it was intentional. Chaos is all around us, so I figured it would make everything more realistic. _

_Their conversation at the end was short, I know, but it covered all that needed to be said. I don't see Sasuke (at least the Sasuke from my story) as the type of person who would give many explanations, regardless of what he tells himself beforehand. Besides, everything – starting from this chapter – will lead to something. _

_The story isn't over yet, no matter how near the end is (my timeline says 15 chapters, including this one)._

_I posted Karin's outfit on my profile. And Sakura's (from the second part of the chapter), too. Because, yeah, I'm pretty much obsessed with clothes.  
_

_Anyway, this is it for now. Please review! I'll buy some cookies for you while I'm away. _

_See you in a few weeks! :)_


	21. Just Be With Me

_A/N: I apologize for the very long wait, guys. It's just that I've been pretty busy lately, and this chapter has been particularly hard to write. To make up for it, however, it's gigantic (way over 12k words) and there's a lemon at the end. _

_Thank you all for reviewing! It means the world to me to know that you guys are reading this and that you're being patient with me._

_I'll stop rambling and just let you read. Enjoy the chapter!_

_***** Due to the fact that FFn seems to be threatening to remove stories with content over M-rating, I have felt obligated to remove the lemon at the end :(_

* * *

_**Incomplete  
**By The Terrorist_

_**Chapter twenty-one  
**Just Be With Me_

* * *

The following week passed fairly quickly.

Now that he and his wife had finally made it past the 'Karin issue', Sasuke could happily state that his life had returned to normal. Or…well, as normal as it could get, given all the changes that were bound to take place between them once Sakura came back from New York and gave him the chance to explain himself.

For the first time ever, though, he found that he quite welcomed them – these and the ones that had yet to happen.

Although he and Sakura still didn't act like a married couple in many, many aspects, their house was much quieter now that they didn't get into a fight every time they saw each other; the atmosphere was calmer, more relaxed. Believe it or not, he now felt like he actually had something to come back home to, a thing that could easily be noticed by whoever was interested in looking. He left for work later and came back home earlier, choosing to spend his time with Sakura, instead of locked up in an office, in front of the computer.

His pink-haired wife seemed to have the same preferences, seeing as she was now always home, both when he left in the morning and when he came back in the evening. As strange as it might sound, he appreciated that – he appreciated the fact that she was keeping her promise of giving their relationship another chance, accepting, in the process, everything that entailed.

Including no more going out with her friends at night.

Don't get me wrong, Sasuke _knew _that she was young and full of life, and he _knew _that she had lost a considerable amount of time trying to make him open his eyes, time she could have spent on something far more…productive, but still. None of those changed the fact that she was a married woman and that she must act like one. Especially now, when he was playing his part and acting like a married man.

(Or…well, at least trying to, for he wasn't entirely sure how a married man was supposed to act. He decided he would start with getting home early every night and not cheating on her anymore; the rest, he would figure out in time).

Going back to the matter at hand, it wasn't like Sasuke didn't want her to have friends. No way, he wasn't the same selfish bastard of a month ago. He _wanted _her to make friends and have fun with them and be happy; he just preferred to have her meet up with them during daytime, while he was at work. The rest of the time, from 8pm to 9am, she was his.

Why did they do in this time, you wonder? Kiss. Touch. Make out on the couch like two horny teenagers. They very rarely talked; words weren't needed much, since they seemed to understand each other so well through body language. Also, aside from that one time when they accidentally fell asleep on the couch, they didn't go to bed together. They would kiss and say goodnight, but then go separate ways.

Sasuke had wondered, many times, whether that was because she was waiting for him to make the first move, but he'd always brushed the thought off. There was a reason why he had yet to take her to his room, to his bed, and it had very much to do with the fact that Sakura always stopped and pulled away before things could go too far.

At first, he'd found that particularly annoying, but then he slowly began to get used to it. Some women were like this – they played hard to get, and Sakura seemed to be one of them. Unlike others, though, he believed she actually had a _right _to be that way. She deserved to be courted and waited after because she was special, she was something else, something rare and precious. Something he'd had the luck to stumble across and own. And he would wait for her for as long as he had to.

Because, even though there were times when this whole charade became frustrating and made him want to yell at her for getting him all worked up and then leaving him to take care of things by himself, Sasuke found himself becoming strangely accommodated to this new routine of theirs. It was easy and didn't provide him with many responsibilities or obligations; and God knew that, at this point, his life was complicated enough – he didn't need Sakura to make things difficult for him, as well.

In the future, things would have to change, he knew. As clueless as he might be when it came to relationships, Sasuke was smart enough to realize that a marriage meant more than just a few kisses shared in the evening and a person to come back home to. For now, however, it seemed to work for the both of them, and since things hadn't been this good between them in forever, he decided that everything could remain like this for a while more.

~•~

On Thursday, Sasuke's brother came to visit him at the company. Well, 'visit' is probably improper said, since he had been sent there by their father, who had apparently ordered him to look over some contracts. Sasuke wasn't sure why exactly he'd done that; having graduated from law school, Itachi had always taken care of all the legal issues their company was involved in, the presidency of the company having belonged to Sasuke from the very beginning. He wasn't about to stop and think about it, though.

As long as his brother didn't bother him, (because he seemed to have a special interest in that), he couldn't care less about his presence.

The day passed fairly quickly; nothing out of the ordinary happened – he read documents, sent e-mails, signed papers, held meetings with his clients and associates, and tried to ignore the sly glances his secretary sent his way (and her cleavage, for that matter). All in all, it was just another normal day. Until it wasn't.

He was in his office, looking over a file when his brother made his appearance and promptly asked him, in a rather impolite manner, what in the world he was still doing there.

Sasuke frowned at that, unsure of how to answer him – and thinking that a 'you're in my fucking office and you're asking _me _what the fuck I'm doing here?' would have been too harsh, considering the fact that they hadn't really seen each other for five months. Confused, he spared a glance at the clock that hung on the wall – 6:48pm.

What the fuck was his problem, huh?

Sasuke had always gotten along with his brother. When they were younger, Itachi used to be the typical big brother – annoying, protective, and at times, slightly condescending; he took care of him and taught him things, helped him with his homework and got him out of trouble when needed. Over the years, their bond was weakened by a multitude of factors – like this arranged marriage, or the fact that Itachi flew off to live in Tokyo – but even so, they remained friends (Uchiha style, of course).

That might have had something to do with the fact that, no matter what, Itachi was still the only human being on this planet who could knock some sense into him in regards where not even Mikoto had been successful. And, really, there was no denying the fact that times when Sasuke needed something like that were quite many.

"I asked you a question, Sasuke," he reminded him as he crossed the room, taking a seat on a chair, in front of his desk. "It's almost seven, and you've been here since six in the morning. Is there a particular reason for which you are not home yet?"

"I'm working, as you can – hopefully – see," Sasuke replied, only sparing him a quick glance, before looking back down at the files in his hands, hoping that his brother would take the hint and leave him alone.

There was only one reason why Itachi would willingly start a conversation, and that was, most of the times, the fact that he had something (very) important to say. In his case, he only did this when he was in the mood to play his big brother role and had decided that he needed to have his ass kicked – verbally, of course, for their mother would probably send both of them in the hospital by herself, before they could even touch each other – and some sense knock into him.

In other words, Itachi came here, all wrapped up in his air of superiority, to tell Sasuke that he was stupid – why, he didn't know yet, but he had a feeling he was about to find out.

"Yes, I can see you're working," he replied, rolling his eyes. He didn't add anything else, and while that might have seemed like a sign of defeat to anybody else, Sasuke knew better than to fall for that.

With a sigh that did nothing to hide his irritation, the young Uchiha threw the files on the desk and leaned back into his chair, action which told his brother that would once again listen to everything he had to say. (And that his words would get in on one ear, and then out on the other, but that's beside the point). "What do you want?" he asked slowly, clearly exasperated.

Itachi wasted no time in speaking, getting straight to the point, like he always did. "I want to know the reason why, the time you should spend with your wife, you spend in your office. That's what I want to know. Do you think you can answer that question?"

"I can try," Sasuke answered through gritted teeth, annoyed that he, too, had felt the need to bring up the subject of his marriage. Everybody seemed to do that lately, and while it had never bothered him before, it was starting to do so now. He believed it was because things between him and Sakura were finally starting to work. He didn't need people to tell him how incredibly stupid he was and how incredibly fucked up their marriage was – not anymore.

What he needed – and he would never admit it to anybody – was people to tell him what to do next, how to handle this, how to ensure that he wouldn't fuck things up again. He knew so damn little about relationships that he was truly afraid he would soon screw up without even realizing it.

He suspected that was the reason why his brother was here right now. Which annoyed him even more, because he couldn't quite comprehend what it was about Itachi that made him any better at handling women. He wasn't much more sociable than him, mind you.

_'Probably not,'_ a witty voice from within him told him, its tone slightly condescending, making him clench his jaw in frustration._ 'But he's much more open-minded than you.'_

That voce was right, without a doubt. And he wanted to change, really, but opening up at this point in his life was much, much harder than he had thought it would be. With all the new things that assaulted his being, he felt like he had been living under a damn rock, and it made him want to go back to his brooding self, to his little world where he could be all superior and almighty, where there was nothing else he could learn and nothing that was worth the effort of opening up. (Hence his rather strange mood-swings from the past few weeks).

"I am working, Itachi," he eventually answered, sighing quietly and bringing a hand up to rub his forehead. "I will spend some time with Sakura later. Satisfied?"

"No," he told him. "No, I am _not _satisfied. And I'm pretty sure she isn't, either. Do you have any idea how excited, how happy she is with the prospect of starting over, of giving your sorry ass another chance?"

"How the fuck would you know, Itachi?" he snapped, his temper flaring again at the mention of his wife.

"I do. Believe me, I do. You want to know why? Because _I _was the one who brought her home to you. _I _was the one who convinced her to answer your phone-calls, to give you a sign that she was alive and well. _I_ was the one who dragged her here with me, so that she could give you the chance to explain yourself – which I highly doubt you did."

"And what do you want me to do now, huh? Fucking thank you? Worship you?" Sasuke asked, his tone more angered than sarcastic.

He hadn't known that Itachi had met up with Sakura in New York, but that really didn't change a thing. There was only one reason for which Itachi interfered regularly in his relationship with Sakura, and that was because he felt guilty for what he did. He never said and never showed it, but Sasuke knew him better than anyone, and had always been able to tell.

"No." Itachi shook his head. "I don't need any of that. But you know, Sakura's a great girl. And I could have married her. I could have made her happy; I could have let _her _make _me _happy. I wouldn't have acted like a total asshole; I wouldn't have made her life a living hell. But even so, I let you have her. I let you marry her, hoping that, one day, you'd realize that she's the right girl for you.

"And what did you do? You hurt her, treated her like trash. And when, by some miracle, she decides to give you another chance, when everybody is doing their best to get you two together, what do you do? You close your eyes and pretend you don't see any of it." He paused for a moment, waiting for his little brother to react somehow; as expected from him, he didn't, and he sighed at his stubbornness, shaking his head once more. "When are you going to wake up, Sasuke? When are you going to fucking mature, to open your eyes and see what's right in front of you?"

"You know, I don't get what your fucking problem is," Sasuke snapped, annoyed. "I'm trying, okay? But I'm not going to quit my job just to spend some time with her."

His brother shook his head. "I'm not saying that you should," he told him. "But she deserves more than the few hours you give her when you return from work. Why don't you go home early today? Why don't you take her out? Just do something – _anything _– that will show her she's not just a part of a new routine, but actually your wife, and that you care for her, regardless of the fact that you don't show it openly."

To be honest, the young Uchiha wasn't surprised that Itachi had managed to hit the mark so right – he had always seemed like he was able to read his mind.

"I know it's not easy," he continued. "But you know what? It's not supposed to."

And, just like that, all the arguments and comebacks he had prepared died in his throat, forcing him to stay silent and look away. His brother was right, and there was no denying it.

Although he had known all along that 'marriage' wasn't the same as 'routine', Sasuke had been at a total loss of what to do in order to change that in his life. He still was, to a certain degree. But he'd initially thought that he had time to figure it all out. Now…now he realized that, in reality, he didn't – at least, not anymore.

He'd had time until now; he'd had two long years to reflect upon his life and to reach a conclusion, to figure out what he wanted to do with it. It was painfully obvious that he hadn't done any of that, and now, after he had heard his brother's words, he was starting to get the same sensation he felt when he left things for the last minute. Because, in a sense, that was what this whole thing was – the last minute.

Sakura had agreed to give him one more chance, and up until now, he had done with it exactly what he had done with the others: thrown it back into her face.

He had been a fool to believe that things between them were any different now, just because they didn't fight anymore and because they spent the evenings in a constant lip-lock. They weren't. Because he still wasn't there for her when she needed him, she still didn't call him when she had a problem, and they still didn't talk about anything. It was all physical, and had they taken it to the next level, their relationship would have probably resembled one of fuck-buddies, rather than one of a married couple.

As that realization hit him, Sasuke began to panic. What if she felt the same thing? What if she had kept her mouth shut in hopes that he would finally catch on and change? What if she hadn't complained about anything because she wanted to give him time? What if…what if his time was over?

"I don't think you're aware of this, Sasuke, but your wife really _is _amazing. I highly doubt there is any other person out there that can forgive and forget this much. After everything you've done to her, I'm surprised she hasn't run off screaming until now. Instead, she keeps giving you chance after chance to redeem yourself. Do you even realize how rare such an occurrence is? There are couples who can't forgive each other once, who can't give each other a second chance. And how many has she given you? Can you even count them?"

Once again, he stopped, waiting for an answer; and once again, Sasuke remained quiet.

"I thought as much." He nodded, seeming to have gotten his answer from his little brother's silence. "You know," he continued with a sigh, "I'm not going to ask you to love her, because I'm not sure you're even capable of something like that. I am, however, going to ask you not to hurt her again.

"Sakura has been through a lot, and I am well aware of the fact that most of it was my fault. So if you dare to make her cry again, I swear to God, I will beat the crap out of you."

It was not his threat that scared him. It was the possibility of his words to come true.

~•~

"_So,"_ TenTen started through the phone, the excitement obvious in her voice, _"what are you going to wear?"_

They had been talking for at least an hour now, time in which the brunette had happily taken it upon herself to tell Sakura everything that had happened in New York after she had left. And now that the subject was thoroughly exhausted, she moved on to other matters, which the pinkette seemed to have no idea about.

"Huh?" she asked with a frown, not quite able to understand what she was talking about.

"_The dinner, Sakura,"_ TenTen said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, and Sakura could easily imagine her rolling her eyes. _"What are you going to wear?" _she repeated.

Sakura's frown deepened. "What dinner?" she asked, confused.

The brunette was quiet for a few moments, before she spoke in a hesitant voice, _"Sasuke didn't tell you?"_

"No," she replied. "Sasuke didn't tell me anything. He's not even home yet. What are you talking about?"

"_Well, Sasuke and Neji will have dinner with a client tonight,"_ TenTen explained, _"and it seems like the client will bring his wife along. Neji told me I'd have to go, so it's only normal for you to come, as well, don't you think?"_

Sakura rolled her eyes at the conclusion her friend had reached, her lips twisting into a small, sad smile. "Oh, please," she scoffed quietly. "I've been his wife for two years and he's never taken me anywhere. Business or not…it doesn't truly matter."

"_Yeah, but you do realize that, in these two years, you two were never actually together, right?" _her friend pointed out. _"But now that you're on the right track, he has no reason not to take you to this dinner."_

"I think," the pinkette started, shaking her head sadly, "that he has no reason to take me to this dinner." She paused for a moment, a quiet sigh escaping her lips, before continuing, "Look, I know it's been only a few days since we've 'gotten together', but…TenTen, things are not as I imagined them. It's easy to assume that he doesn't know how a marriage works and, in that case, I'd gladly take the lead and try to teach him, but it's like…he doesn't even want to learn. All he ever does is kiss me. And then watch with annoyance written all over his features as I pull away from him," she told her, trying hard to hold back her tears. She'd gotten better at this, she noted; her voice didn't even shake once this time.

"_Sakura,"_ TenTen sighed, clearly at a loss of words. "_I hate to say this, but there's only one thing you can do at this point: give him time."_

"I will," she agreed in a heartbeat, nodding even though her friend couldn't see her. "I'll give him all the time he needs. I was just…" she trailed off for a moment, shrugging lightly. "I was just trying to make a point. Trying to explain to you why the two of us can't be like Neji and you. At least not yet."

There was an odd sort of silence after she said this, and when TenTen broke it, her voice was soft and almost fearful.

"_You think you've made a mistake by giving him another chance, don't you?"_

"No!" Sakura replied in an instant, without even thinking about it. "No, of course not," she continued, her voice calmer. "It's just that…I guess I've never taken into account all the things that could happen…all the things that could so easily hurt me…" she trailed off, getting lost into her thoughts for a moment, before quickly snapping out of them. "Look, I have to go. Now that you've mentioned dinner, I realized I'm actually kind of hungry." She attempted to laugh and lighten the mood a little, but she wasn't so sure it worked. "I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"_Okay," _the brunette replied with a sigh, sounding somewhat resigned. _"Bye, Sakura."_

After saying her own, faint goodbye, Sakura ended the call and placed her phone back on the nightstand. Things weren't as she had imagined them, true, but she refused to dwell too much on that matter; thinking about it was doing nothing good to her, so she decided to busy herself with something else. Like eating, for example.

With a small sigh, she stood up, stretching with her hands above her head, and then began to move towards the door. However, it opened way before she had even reached it, and even though, in the back of her mind, she knew perfectly well who it was, she couldn't help but gasp and jump slightly, not having expected something like that to happen. Placing her hand over her erratically beating heart, she shot her husband a light glare, and was surprised – more like shocked, really – upon realizing that he actually looked guilty.

She was unable to stop a frown from appearing on her features, but she did manage to keep herself from voicing her confusion out loud. _Fortunately._ Because, really, he was trying – she could see that clearly. How would it look if she questioned it? Not good, that was for sure.

Forcing those thoughts to the back of her mind, she let a small smile grace her features and closed the distance between them, standing on her tiptoes so that she could press her lips to his in a soft, chaste kiss.

"You're home early," she remarked as she pulled back, dropping to her original height. She kept her hands at the base of his neck, though, buried in his soft, raven hair.

Sasuke's only answer was a grunt, and despite the sour mood she had been in only moments ago, she couldn't help but giggle lightly. As annoying as she had once found them, she now believed that his grunts – and other noncommittal noises – were actually kind of cute. They were a part of him – a part of this complex man she couldn't wait to get to know better.

"You and your super-advanced verbal skills, Sasuke," she teased and rolled her eyes, shaking her head in amusement.

To her surprise, however, he didn't respond in any way, like he usually did. He just tucked a lock of pink hair behind her ear and watched her with an odd sort of wonder, as if he was seeing her for the very first time and wanted to memorize every inch of her features. The realization would have probably been rather pleasant (at least for her ego), had it not been for the fact that his gaze was so damn intense. Because of that, it wasn't long until she found herself squirming uncomfortably, at a total loss of what to do.

"I'm going to fix myself something to eat," she blurted out when she finally couldn't take it anymore, pulling away from him and forcing him to drop his hand. That seemed to have snapped him out of his thoughts, but there was still something about him that didn't quite represent the Sasuke she knew.

She pushed past him then, fully intending on walking away, but she stopped as a thought hit her. She turned to face him again, burying her hands into the back pockets of her jeans in an effort to keep from nervously playing with them. "Are you hungry? I can make you something," she offered, hopeful at the prospect of doing something – _anything _– that might possibly bring them closer, something other than making out. "I mean, I'm not that good in the kitchen, but I could…" she trailed off, shrugging lightly.

Although she had babbled – and thus made a food of herself – she was pretty sure he'd understood what she had been trying to tell him.

He did, but he didn't seem to agree with her. "Don't," he said, shaking his head.

Sakura tried to push away the unreasonable disappointment she felt upon hearing his words. In her mind, she knew perfectly well that he wasn't rejecting her; he was merely answering a question. But her heart took it the wrong way and made it seem like, once again, he had denied her attempt at getting to know each other better.

She hid that reaction carefully, though, not wanting her husband to see it. "Okay," she answered quietly, raising and lowering one shoulder in a half-shrug, before turning and walking away.

However, she had barely reached the top of the stairs, when a hand shot up and grabbed her upper arm, halting her movements. The pinkette gasped at the suddenness of it all and turned to face him, a questioning look in her eyes.

Sasuke didn't take long in explaining himself. "Don't eat," he told her, clarifying his earlier command.

"Why not?" his wife asked, blinking in confusion. The air around them was thick, charged with an odd type of electricity; the atmosphere was tense like it hadn't been in weeks, and she couldn't help but wonder what she had done to set him off this time. "Weren't you the one who told me to take care of myself?" she teased and smiled, attempting to lighten the mood.

It didn't work. "Hn," he grunted, seemingly unfazed. He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it back after a moment, swallowing heavily.

It was the very first time Sakura had seen her husband unable to find his words, and she was surprised by how unsettling it was. He always seemed so tough and cold…whatever had happened must have been pretty bad, if it had managed to rend him speechless.

"Sasuke – " she started in an effort to comfort him somehow, even though she wasn't so sure what she would say, but she was cut off.

"There is a dinner…with a client," he said. "Tonight. And I want you to come with me."

Time stopped. Her lungs stopped. Her heart stopped. Everything stalled.

After a moment, her breath caught in her throat and she gasped, her heart starting to beat frantically once more. Shocked, she closed her eyes and shook her head lightly, deciding that the I-must-pinch-my-arm-cause-I-think-I'm-dreaming cliché was getting old by now.

But when she reopened them, she found that nothing had changed. Sasuke was still there, still in front of her, still gripping her arm as if his life depended on it, still watching her with an expectant look in his black eyes.

She blinked upon realizing that this was actually happening. "Are you…are you serious?" she asked after what seemed like an eternity, her voice unreasonably soft and quiet.

"I don't joke, Sakura," he answered. His tone was monotonous, as per usual, but his eyes immediately clued her in on what must have happened. He'd heard her conversation with TenTen; there was no other explanation as to why he suddenly seemed to understand that she wanted – _needed _– more than he had already given her.

But that was not the way she wanted things to happen. She wanted him to make the next step because he felt like it, not because he'd heard her complain and wanted to shut her up. Don't get me wrong, what she had told TenTen was true: she _wanted _to help him; but there were certain things that he had to figure out on his own.

Besides, Sasuke didn't even seem like the type of guy that enjoyed going on romantic dates and all that. So perhaps it was her who needed to come to terms with the fact that he might never be everything she wanted. And forcing him to pretend to be someone he was not, just because she wanted certain things he couldn't give her, was definitely not an option.

With that thought in mind, Sakura shook her head. "I don't want you to do this because – "

"I'm doing this because I want to, Sakura," he cut her off, his voice firm. "Because I've been – unfair to you. Because I want to make things better. Not because I accidentally heard a conversation between you and your friend, in which you told her all the things you should have told me," he said, confirming her earlier suspicions.

"Sasuke – " Once again, she tried to speak, to defend herself against the sudden accusations he was throwing at her, and once again, he interrupted her.

"I'm not going to fight with you over this matter, Sakura," he told her. "I _know_ I haven't really given you a chance to talk to me."

It was the second time that day that she found herself shocked beyond words. Blinking, she asked in a somewhat breathy voice, "Who are you and what have you done to my husband?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "This isn't funny," he said dryly. "I may not get it right all the time, but I try."

"I know you do," the pinkette replied, her eyes softening at his words. Taking a step forward, she placed her hands on either side of his face, forcing him to bend down slightly so that she could press her lips to his in an apologetic kiss. "I'm sorry. I was just…taken aback." She pulled away, looking at him in the eye as a smile bloomed on her face. "But I'd love to accompany you to this dinner."

~•~

He was finding it hard to believe that such a simple action could make her so damn happy. He had only invited her for dinner, and they wouldn't even be alone there; it would be all about business, and he was certain she knew that the only reason for which she got to be invited was because their client was bringing his wife along.

And still, despite all that, Sakura was practically beaming for the rest of the evening.

He wasn't quite sure why it was only now that he realized just how beautiful she was when she smiled. She was glowing, totally radiant, and he soon found out that he kind of missed her presence, when she excused herself in order to start getting ready.

Like most women, she took an atrocious amount of time getting dressed and putting on make-up. He knocked on her door about an hour and a half after she had left him by himself, knowing perfectly well that if he didn't get to see her anytime soon, he would go crazy. As easy as living without her had once been, Sasuke was surprisingly _not_ surprised to realize that she was quickly becoming addicting.

His breath caught in his throat when he finally laid his eyes on her. She was wearing a colorful print dress, tied at the waist and flowing down to her mid thigh, paired with a pair of tall, beige heels. It really wasn't the sexiest outfit he'd seen her in, nor was it the most elegant, but there was just something about the way it complemented her creamy skin and flushed cheeks, something about the radiant smile she wore, something about that glint in her eyes…something that made him painfully aware of the fact that, to him, she had never looked more beautiful.

She left the door open for him to enter the room, and turned back to the mirror, assuring him that she only needed five more minutes. He watched, with an almost rapt fascination in his eyes, how she applied a pale pink lip-gloss to her lips and put on a pair of long, diamond earrings.

When she turned back around, she fixed him with her apple green eyes, darkened by make-up and framed by thick, black lashes. Non-verbally, her hopeful smile asked for approval; he didn't voice it, but the hungry way he eyed her surely gave her the answer.

And, just like that, the happy smile was back on her face, forcing him to make an almost inhuman effort in order to keep himself from throwing her on the bed and taking her right then and there.

As much as it pained to admit this, Sasuke could now finally say that he understood what Itachi – and everybody else, for that matter – had been trying to tell him: the pinkette really _was_ special. Making her happy was so damn easy…it only took one small gesture, one meaningful action, one stare heavy with emotion, one caring word.

This wasn't it; this was only the beginning. The simple fact that he was taking her out to dinner tonight didn't mean that they were all set, that their relationship had suddenly become perfect. He _knew_ that. Marriages weren't easy to manage; he would have to put a lot more effort into getting to know her, into changing and opening up. Regardless, though, this…this was a good start. Seeing her so happy made the effort worth it, really.

Pride filled his system when he realized that he had never seen her smile look so genuine, so brilliant. Around him, it had always been sad, sarcastic, or small and soft, lacking confidence. The latter was the only one she'd been giving him lately. Ever since she came back, she'd been so insecure – nothing like the woman who had disappeared without a trace for a whole week, just because he had annoyed her and because she suddenly decided she'd had enough. That had changed now, true, and she seemed to be back to the confident, independent woman he had grown to like, but that didn't make it any less unsettling.

Her mood swings (if they can be called that) reminded him that this was unfamiliar territory for her, as well, and showed him just how much effort she put into lowering her defenses in his presence. The responsibility that knowledge brought was unbelievable. Only a few hours ago, he'd thought that their routine was simple and convenient; it had probably been necessary to fall out of it, in order for him to realize that he had been fooling himself all along.

The trust she unconditionally placed in him? That was more responsibility than he'd ever had; especially now, when letting her down was just not an option anymore.

Itachi's words rang in his head: _"I know it's not easy. But you know what? It isn't supposed to."_

Why was it that his brother seemed to be always right? Sasuke didn't know. One thing was for sure, though: Itachi _was_ always right, and aside from that, he always knew exactly what to say in order to knock some sense into him. Somehow, it worked every single little time – and this one was no exception.

He wasn't sure why he'd had trouble seeing it before, but Sakura really _was_ the right woman for him. And that wasn't because of that stupid, 'opposites attract' cliché. Or maybe it was, to a certain degree, but the connection he could now feel was far more complex than just that. He could feel it – whatever 'it' was.

When she smiled, his heart skipped a beat. When she laughed, he felt this strange urge to smile. When she spoke, her voice instantly soothed him. When she kissed him, his heart sent a funny jolt through his entire body, and when she touched him, everything suddenly came to life.

Not to mention that, whenever she was around him, he was so acutely aware of her presence, that all her could hear, all he could feel, all he could touch, smell, see…_everything_ was _her_. Nothing else mattered, and having his entire attention focused solely on one thing wasn't as unsettling as he had initially thought it would be.

He kept his hand on her leg throughout the entire dinner. He didn't speak much – he never did. This time, however, instead of thinking of business and contracts, he dedicated himself to observing her. She chatted easily with TenTen and the client's wife (whose name he couldn't remember for the life of him), and he soon began to feel strangely fascinated to this side of her, this calm and relaxed Sakura.

When he wasn't listening to her, he was quietly watching the others' reactions to her presence, trying to tell if he was the only one who saw the change in her, who enjoyed every second in which she laughed or smiled. He felt a jolt of pride – and also jealousy – upon realizing that no, he was not alone in this.

The client seemed to be totally taken with her, and so was his wife, for that matter. Neji, who hadn't really spent much time with her, seemed surprised at how much she had changed, but also pleased, in a way. Sasuke didn't need to be a genius to realize that, despite the limited amount of contact they'd had, she had managed to grow on him, as well.

The waiter that had served them throughout the course of the evening had tried to flirt with her more than once, blatantly ignoring the murderous glares he kept sending his way. Sakura didn't pay him much attention, so he obviously had no reason to grow hopeful, but Sasuke found himself sympathizing with him. Why, some would ask? Because he now knew perfectly well what that smile of hers could do to people.

That didn't stop him from growling lowly under his breath every time he came around and looked at his wife the wrong way. Once, his anger reached so high that it clouded his judgment, causing his hand to involuntary tighten on Sakura's thigh. She didn't seem surprised, and although he'd found that confusing, he couldn't say he hadn't enjoyed the way she tried to get him to relax. She'd placed her hand over his and squeezed it lightly, before leaning comfortably into his side.

That, combined with Sasuke's glare, would have probably been enough to chase the young waiter away. But she took things even further and titled her head up, softly kissing the corner of his mouth.

He had been surprised at her sudden display of affection, especially since she hadn't made a move to touch him ever since they had entered the restaurant, but it seemed like that was only because she had somehow guessed he wasn't a big fan of PDA. That realization almost made him want to punch himself. After everything he'd done to her, just how far was this woman willing to go in order to make him comfortable, to make him happy? Really, how far? Sasuke couldn't believe he'd had the luck to come across such a specimen.

By the time the dinner ended, he was reduced to a trembling little ball of impatience. He wasn't entirely sure what it was that he wanted from Sakura. Perhaps he needed a reassurance that she was actually there, that this was actually real. Perhaps he wanted to show her, in the only way he knew, that he saw her now, that he understood how lucky he was to have her, and that words couldn't even express how much he appreciated the fact that she had remained by his side for so long, even after all the hurtful things he'd thrown at her. Or maybe he was simply tired to wait, tired to resume at only kissing her.

He'd lost enough time, and Itachi's words made him realize that he truly couldn't know how much more he had left. He wanted more; he wanted all of her. And he wanted it now.

After they had said their goodbyes, he led her to the car, his hand pressed lightly against her lower back. She was quiet until they reached their destination; turning to face him, she leaned back against the car and hesitantly smiled up at him, her entire confidence seeming to disappear in a second.

"Thank you," she told him, her voice soft and quiet, coated in absolute sincerity.

That should have worried him, he knew. It should have made him wonder what had happened that made her turn back into the insecure woman he'd been living with for the past few days. Or, at the very least, it should have annoyed him, for he had made it very clear earlier that day that he was taking her to this dinner because he _wanted_ to; she needn't have thanked him.

However, none of those happened. Because, for some reason or another, all he could focus on at this point were her lips. They looked pink and soft and so damn inviting, and he suddenly couldn't contain his desire to kiss her again.

He leaned in, placing his hands on the hood behind her, trapping him between his arms. Her breath hitched at his action, and she instinctively leaned back, trying to catch his eye, but not quite managing to. She soon noticed that they were fixed on her lips, staring intensely at him; almost too suddenly, she knew exactly what he had in mind, which caused nervous butterflies to explode in her stomach.

Sasuke had wanted to do this for what seemed like a really long time, but she had always stopped before they could get carried away. It just didn't feel right, and since she had waited so long to give herself to somebody, she figured she might as well ensure that it would be special. Don't get me wrong, she didn't want candles all around the room and rose petals on the bed; she just wanted to be able to feel that the man who was touching her _cared_ about her. For her, that was special, not some cliché seen in all romantic movies.

She had initially wanted to wait until their relationship was a little more defined than just this, but not anymore. Not after what he'd done for her tonight.

With an almost painful slowness, Sasuke leaned in until his forehead was pressed against hers. He raised one of his hands and gently stroked her cheek, coaxing her to open her eyes. Funny, how she hadn't even realized she had closed them, probably in anticipation to the kiss. She met his gaze, and was a little taken aback by all the emotions swirling in his onyx eyes, but she was forced to close her eyes again, when he suddenly pressed her lips to hers, his hand still cupping her cheek, his fingers partially buried in her curly pink hair.

The kiss was surprisingly soft and gentle, nothing like the way he usually attacked her when he came back from work. Before she could get totally lost into it, Sakura realized that he was actually trying to tell her something by kissing her in such a manner – he was asking for _permission_ to take things further. She couldn't help but smile against his lips at the realization.

She answered him in the same way he had asked – by deepening the kiss, snaking her arms around his neck, and pressing her lithe body against his.

As per usual, she couldn't tell how long it lasted, but it seemed like an eternity to her. It was just Sasuke who had this strange power over her – every time he touched her, she forgot all about the world around them and she suddenly couldn't care less if the damn apocalypse was happening right then and there.

This time was no different, which was probably the only reason why she had allowed him to take things further, to turn the kiss into a full make-out session, right there in the parking lot of an expensive restaurant, where somebody could come at any moment and catch him with his lips attached to her neck.

She barely noticed when he bent down slightly, wrapping his arms around her thighs and easily lifting her onto the hood of his shiny SUV. She was slightly taller than him in this position and she used this to her advantage, burying her hand into his hair and tugging hard on it, wanting him to kiss her again. He complied in an instant, smashing his lips against hers, their tongues sweeping over each other as one of his hands disappeared from her thigh and wove through her hair, cradling the back of her head as he continued to kiss her.

The sound of a car door closing into the distance forced them apart, and Sakura had to remove her hands from Sasuke's hair and place them back on the hood in an effort to stabilize herself. At that point, she wasn't sure whether she wanted to growl in frustration at being interrupted, or blush at the realization of what she had been doing only moments ago – or rather, _where_ she had been doing it. She probably did both, which seemed to amuse her husband to a considerable extent, since he was smirking when she looked up at him.

It was obvious that neither of them was happy with the interruption, but the mood was lost now, and there was nothing they could do about it. Helping her hop off the hood, he led her to her side of the car and opened the door for her. Because, despite popular belief, his mother _had_ taught him manners; the problem was, he only used them with a very select group of people. And it seemed like Sakura had earned her right to become a part of that group, like she should have done from a very long time ago.

The drive home was crazy. If his excitement hadn't been obvious before, now it definitely couldn't be denied, because he drove like a complete maniac. He went way beyond speed limits, ran the red light twice, and barely managed to avoid scratching his car once. It was a miracle that no police cruised had managed to pick up on his trail.

Under normal circumstances, Sakura would have been scared or at least worried. The accident in which she had lost her brother had made her aware of the fact that a few minutes of fun just weren't worth risking your life for, and although she couldn't deny that she still liked the speed, she always forced herself to behave, to respect the law and be aware of other drivers who _didn't_ do the same.

For some reason or another, though, she felt completely safe with Sasuke, even as he drove at almost one hundred miles per hour within city boundaries. Actually, she felt more amused than anything else. Of course, that might have had something to do with all the emotions that were swirling inside of her, clouding her mind and, along with that, her judgment. Which was probably also the reason why, at some point during their small journey, she found herself leaning over the center console, one of her hands squeezing his thigh, the other slowly unbuttoning his shirt, and her lips sucking on his neck.

Whether it was the adrenaline or the lust that made her so bold, she didn't know. Whatever it was, Sasuke didn't seem to mind.

Thanks to the fact that she was preoccupied with other things, Sakura had managed to keep her amusement at bay on their way home, but she eventually snapped, as he pulled into the driveway of their house, braking so quickly that the tired screeched; she believed they might have left some marks on the pavement, as well, but that was something she would have to check the following day. Before she could even tell what was going on, Sasuke was out of the car and at her door, pulling her into his arms.

She laughed as he did this, her head falling back for a moment. "God, you're such a man," she teased, smiling widely at him.

"Can you blame me?" he growled back in a playful manner, before swiftly picking her up, forcing her to wrap her legs around his waist. She squealed in surprise, not having expected him to do something like that, and instinctively placed her hands on his shoulders, gripping them tightly for fear of losing her equilibrium and falling over.

"You're crazy!" she exclaimed, laughing.

It occurred to her then that it had been a very long time since she'd had so much fun, since she'd felt so complete, so happy. She'd felt good with the girls in New York, but this…this was pure bliss.

Smiling down at him, she leaned in and kissed him again, her hands waving through his silky hair. Even after all this time, she was still amazed at how incredibly soft it was; how it managed to stick up and defy gravity like that was beyond her. But then again, it was also very sexy, so she wasn't about to complain.

She wasn't sure how they made it upstairs. Everything was fuzzy; she could only remember parts of it, like when he slammed her against a wall, or when he hastily opened the door of her room with his foot, his lips never parting from hers.

Things began to come into focus when they entered the bedroom, the butterflies in her stomach returning. She wanted this more than ever; everything felt right – the moment, the place, the connection between them. But even so, she couldn't find a way to chase the nervousness away. She briefly wondered if she was _supposed_ to feel like this, or if that was only because Sasuke didn't know about her lack of experience in this domain. Whatever the cause, one thing was for sure: she wasn't about to ruin the moment by telling him.

Besides, with the way he was acting, she found it hard to believe that he would hurt her any more than necessary, regardless of whether he was aware of the fact that he had to be gentle or not.

Kicking off his shoes and toeing his socks, Sasuke walked towards the bed and kneeled on the mattress, setting her down carefully, as if she were his most prized possession. He didn't know why, but there was a voice inside his head that told him to go slow, to be gentle. It reminded him that she was not just any other woman – she was Sakura and she was precious. He couldn't hurt her.

Leaning back on his heels, he took a moment to admire her, all flushed cheeks and eyes darkened with lust. Her pink hair was spread all over the white pillow and her creamy shoulders, glowing in the moonlight; her dress, although covering her cleavage, rose slightly as she shifted, revealing more of her long, luscious legs.

Earlier that day, he had thought she was incredibly beautiful, but the truth was, that didn't even come close to how beautiful she looked right now.

Without a second thought, he slipped his half-unbuttoned (courtesy of Sakura's wandering hands in the car) shirt over his head and leaned over her, resting his elbows on either side of her face as he pressed his body flush against hers. His hands reached out and brushed the hair from her forehead, the gentle action causing her eyes to open, green clashing with onyx.

He had to admit, he was rather taken aback by the emotions he saw glimmering in them – she was nervous and…and scared? Why would she be scared? She wanted this, didn't she?

More than a little confused, the Uchiha did the only thing he could have done at that point in order not to ruin the moment, but still let her know – _somehow_ – that she had a choice. He bent down and kissed her – slowly, gently, lovingly, as if afraid that she would break if he moved any harsher.

That kiss seemed to be the reassurance she unknowingly craved for, because, as soon as his lips touched hers, Sakura let out a soft sigh and her small frame relaxed underneath him. Slowly, she lifted her arms and snaked them around his neck, responding to the kiss.

"We don't have to do this if you don't want to," he murmured after they broke apart, his lips kissing a path from her cheek, to her ear, and down her neck, licking, nipping, and sucking occasionally at the sensitive skin.

It took Sakura a while to answer, as she was too busy focusing on the incredible sensations he was awakening inside of her. "No," she eventually whispered as his words sunk into her mind, frantically shaking her head. Burying her hands into his hair, she pulled lightly on it, forcing his head up. "I want this," she said as she locked eyes with him, pure confidence dripping from her words.

* * *

_*** **Due to the fact that FFn seems to be threatening to remove stories with content rated over M, I have felt obligated to remove the lemon at the end :(_

_A/N: I know Itachi might have seemed a little OOC, but hey, that's why this story is marked as AU. The characters have different life styles and different life stories, so they behave differently. Try as I might to keep them in character, there are times when I need to put my imagination to work so that the plot won't be affected. And a quiet, broody, grunt-y Itachi couldn't have knocked some sense into his little brother, now could he?_

_As usual, you can find pictures of Sakura's outfit on my profile. (And don't forget to check my blog for teasers!)_

_Now, please review! I've really missed you guys and I really want to know your opinion on this chapter. Besides, I have tons of cookies waiting to be eaten!_


	22. I'm Sorry

_A/N: Hey guys! Long time no see, huh? Well, yeah. Sorry for that. Those of you who follow me on my blog already know the reason why this update was so late; for those who don't, it's simple enough: my life is just too damn complicated at this point. I have to deal with tons of homework and projects, and now, on top of that, exams. Again, I'm very, very sorry. Forgive me? :(_

_On a much happier note, I'd like to thank you all for your reviews, your support, and of course, your patience! You guys are amazing and I just love you all! _

_Okay, I'll shut up now. Enjoy!_

* * *

_**Incomplete**  
By the Terrorist_

_**Chapter twenty-two**  
I'm Sorry_

* * *

When Sasuke slowly began to regain consciousness that morning, the first thing he noticed was that he was warm – much warmer than usual. And it was the kind of warmth that certainly did _not_ come from a blanket or from the sun's heated rays. It was a strange kind of warmth, one that – he concluded, in his half asleep state – he would just love to keep by his side forever. It simply felt good, having it next to him…and on top of him, for that matter.

Given the fact that they were in Sakura's bedroom, there was no alarm set to wake them up, but Sasuke's internal clock took charge, anyway, sending impulses to his brain and signalizing that it was high time he opened his eyes and faced the day. That never bothered him before – he actually found it quite useful at times. But despite the fact that he was used to it by now, for some reason or another, waking up came harder than usual that morning. Common sense was tugging at him, telling him that he would be late for work if he continued to laze around like that, but his eyes just wouldn't open and his body wouldn't move.

At first, he didn't quite understand what was going on; something surely felt off, though. Something made this morning different than others, and although he couldn't be absolutely sure, he believed it might have something to do with the unusual warmth that enveloped him. But at this point, he couldn't even truly bring himself to care about it, which was weird in itself, since every single little detail that managed to mess up his routine usually bugged him to no end until he eliminated it somehow. Not this time, though. This time, that little detail felt good, and the wise part of him told him to just let it go.

So he did. Until he realized that, no matter what, his mind refused to succumb to unconsciousness once again, and he slowly began to come to.

He opened his coal black eyes, but immediately shut them tightly again, wincing as the strong, white light attacked them. With a light groan, he threw an arm over his eyes, wondering just what exactly had happened the night before for him to forget to close the curtains. He never did that – not even in winter, when the sun wasn't even up by the time he usually woke up.

Letting his arm flop on the pillow above his head, Sasuke opened his eyes once more, blinking quickly to make them adjust to the brightness of the room, before slowly beginning to scan his surroundings…and come to realize that this wasn't even his room, to begin with.

At first, he panicked. He had been with a lot of women in his life, but never before had he been stupid enough to spend an entire night with them, no matter how tired or how fucked up he was. It just wasn't fair at all – getting their hopes up by cuddling with them all night long, and then having to deal with their questions in the morning, having to explain that the night before had really been just a fuck, a fun distraction for a jerk like him. Fortunately, he had never had to deal with such situations, but he knew they couldn't be pleasant.

Hoping he could get away with it at least this one time, he tried to sit up, totally planning on slipping away before the woman (whoever she was) woke up, only to have something soft and silky weigh him down. A small whimper resounded through the quiet room, and a petite body pushed itself closer to his side, a slim arm tightening around his waist.

He looked down at the mysterious woman then, and everything slowly started to come back to him. The verbal beating he'd gotten from his brother, the disturbing conversation he'd overheard, the first dinner he'd taken his wife to, and the amazing thing they'd experienced together afterwards. He wouldn't call it 'sex' or simply 'a fuck', because it had definitely been more than that. Everything about it had been like a first to him, from the sweet touches and kisses, down to the way they were now tangled together, a solid proof of the fact that they must have cuddled the entire night.

But despite that, he wouldn't call it 'making love' either, for he was definitely in no position to do that. After all, what did _he_ know about love? Nothing, really, and although he certainly hoped to learn more about it, little by little (and with Sakura by his side), he wasn't so eager to jump headfirst into it, when the possibility of fucking up was so damn high. He definitely wouldn't stand by and wait for things to come to him on their own, like he had once believed to be the best option, but he figured that taking things slowly would be better in this situation, both for him and for his wife.

Looking down, though, he knew he would do it however she wanted him to, regardless of his fears and questions, of his insecurity and reluctance. She was just important like that, taking over his whole life after only a night spent together.

She was currently nestled in between his body and the mattress, in a way that very much reminded him of a cat's manner of curling up against its owner, one of her arms draped possessively over his toned stomach, their legs tangled together in a way that made it hard for him to discern which belonged to him. Her head was resting on his chest, her breath fanning against his skin and her hair tickling him in a rather pleasant manner as it rose and fell with his own breathing.

Slowly, he brought a hand up to tuck some pink locks behind her ear, stopping for a moment to caress her cheek. Sakura sighed and unconsciously leaned into his touch, moving her head further up his chest and snuggling against him, exhaling contently once she'd found a more comfortable position. Before she could bury her head into the crook of his neck, however, he managed to catch a glimpse of her peaceful expression, and his eyes involuntary softened at the sight of it. He'd never seen her so relaxed before, so content, so…so right where she should be.

Shifting a little in an effort to see the clock on the nightstand, he almost groaned out loud when he realized it was already time for him to get up and got to work. Ever since he married Sakura, he had never found himself annoyed by that knowledge, but now he did and he was surprised by how little attention he could give to that fact. All he wanted at that point was to spend a little more time with his wife, to sleep in with her, to be there when she woke up… And it was the strangest feeling ever, but one that seemed to come naturally, even to him.

Regardless of that, though, Sasuke knew he couldn't just skip work – things weren't that simple. He owned his business, true, but that didn't mean he was free to do whatever he wanted with it; besides, he wasn't one to act irresponsible once and then risk losing everything because of it. Sakura would understand, for sure – after all, when did she not?

With an almost painful slowness and great care, as he would hate to wake her up so early, Sasuke managed to detangle the pinkette's limbs from around him and slip away. Running a hand through his – no doubt messier than usual – hair, he sat up and surpassed a smirk as his gaze fell on their clothes, scattered all over the floor, memories of the night before flashing before his eyes. He shook his head to get rid of them, not wanting to get delayed even more, and quickly located his boxers, pulling them on along with his pants, as soon as he found them.

Turning back to face the bed, a smile threatened to break on his face at the sight that greeted him: Sakura had rolled over in his absence and was now lying on her stomach on his side of the bed, her pink locks spread all over his pillow. The blanket covered her up to her waist, and he once again surprised himself when he reached out and pulled it over her shoulders, bending down to place a lingering kiss on the top of her head, inhaling the sweet scent of her shampoo. He didn't know what he was turning into, really, but the truth was…well, he didn't want her to catch a cold or something.

With a sigh of resignation, he straightened his back and scanned the room for the rest of his clothes, smirking once again when he found them on the other side of the bed. Shaking his head out of amusement almost, he made his way there and picked them up, preparing to quietly walk out of the room when, from the corner of his eye, he spotted something that caught his attention.

Frowning, he threw his clothes on the bed and, leaning over, pulled the blanket back slightly, instantly freezing as his gaze fell on the small speck of blood impregnated on the white sheets.

At first, his mind wasn't quite able to make connections. He knew there was just no way he could have hurt her the night before, so the presence of blood on a surface that should have otherwise been clean felt unexplainable. But then he remembered. The way she'd seemed so nervous, so inexperienced. They way she'd clung to him when he entered her. The way she'd whimpered and avoided meeting his eyes.

Last night…last night had been her first time. And he…he had been her first.

Under any other circumstances, that knowledge would have pleased him, would have made his ego swell so much that his body couldn't contain it anymore. But these were not normal circumstances, and it was in that particular moment that he remembered all the times he'd called her a whore, all the times he'd accused her of cheating of him, all the times she'd just stood there and taken it.

Suddenly, he felt dizzy and he grabbed the foot of the bed in an effort to stabilize himself. Slowly, his hooded gaze moved back to Sakura's sleeping form, hugging his pillow with her arms while her back rose and fell gently with her even breaths.

_What had he done? What kind of person was he?_

Running his hand through his hair, he distractedly gathered the rest of his clothing and left the room in a daze, softly closing the door behind him.

~•~

It was already past noon when Sakura finally began to stir, the sun's blinding rays becoming too uncomfortable for her to ignore them, even when succumbed to unconsciousness. Furrowing her brows, not quite sure of what was going on, she groaned lightly and instinctively reached out with her hand, searching for something – for that hard, yet soft body that had kept her warm throughout the night. However, all she found was the edge of the bed and the cold wood of the nightstand, which caused her frown to deepen and her mind to suddenly become fully aware of her surroundings.

Memories of the night before flooded her mind, making her blush and smile at the same time, and she opened her eyes, squinting slightly because of the bright light. Blinking quickly to clear her vision, she slowly pushed herself into a sitting position, holding the sheet close to her bare chest as she began to carefully scan the room, searching for any trace of her husband. When she found none, she strained her ears in hopes that they would pick up a sound, something that would show her that he was at least home, somewhere in the house.

But there was nothing. Every article of clothing that had once littered the floor was now gone and, had it not been for the unique scent that he had left behind, impregnated on the pillow that she had found herself sleeping on, it would have been as if he had never even been there, in the first place.

Sakura was surprised at how much that piece of information bothered her. She should have known he would have to go to work, regardless of what had happened the night before between the two of them; that was just the way Sasuke was – always putting business first, no matter the circumstances. But despite that, she found it quite hard to chase away the disappointment that followed his early departure.

Truth to be told, in the back of her mind and heart, she had actually hoped that the night before would mean more to him – at least enough that he would be there, holding her in his arms, when she woke up in the morning. There was no denying the fact that it hurt to realize that she was probably the only one who made such a big deal out of it.

But then again, that was only normal, right? It certainly hadn't been _his_ first time, after all.

Shaking her head to chase those thoughts away, the pinkette swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stood up, taking the sheet with her and twirling in a circle in order to get it wrapped around her properly. She winced slightly as she took a few steps and registered the dull pain between her legs, making a small mental note to take a pill for it later; she _really_ didn't want to walk around all day with a constant reminder of what had happened the night before.

Don't get me wrong, she most definitely did _not_ regret it. She had been well-aware of what she was doing when she told Sasuke she wanted him to take things further, and she highly doubted that this could cause their relationship any harm. There was just a part of her that still believed that it had been way too early for them to take such an important step, that she had been severely mistaken in choosing the 'right' moment (and the 'right' man, for that matter); a part whose ego swelled dramatically when she woke up alone this morning, the room bearing barely any trace of her husband's presence.

However, she refused to allow shadows of doubt to creep into her heart. It was useless, she told herself. After all, it had already happened; what was the point in thinking it over now?

With a sigh and a slight shake of her head, she once again pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind and started to make her way towards the bathroom, careful not to trip over her own feet or the long blanket that covered them. She made it there safely and, after having washed her face and teeth, dropped it to the floor, instantly hopping into the shower.

She took her time, letting the hot water soothe her sore body, but she fought to keep her mind relatively empty in the meantime. She always liked to think while she took a shower – or a bath, for that matter – because she usually tended to be more relaxed and open-minded then, but not this time. In this particular situation, she had a feeling that whatever conclusion she would reach by the time her shower was over would not be pleasant, and that was really the last thing she needed at this point.

It was almost half an hour later that she shut off the water and got out, grabbing a fluffy towel from the rack and wrapping it around her. Carelessly overlooking the sheet lying on the floor, she made her way out of the bathroom, sighing quietly as she re-entered her empty bedroom.

Bending down, she gathered the few items of clothing that were left, trying to fight back the flood of memories that threatened to invade her mind as she did so. She tossed them all on the bed, except for the shoes, which she took back into her walk-in closet, trading them for a pair of simple, black sandals. Briefly scanning through the hangers, she grabbed the first dress that would match them – which turned out to be a simple, black one, with grey flowers on it – and after dropping the towel and putting on a set of underwear, pulled it over her head and slipped the shoes on.

Walking back into the bedroom, she threw the towel on the bed, next to her clothes, and then proceeded with completely changing the bedding. Usually, she would have Yuki do that, since it had never been her favorite past-time activity, but she couldn't do so now without having the girl realize what exactly had happened the night before. And, really, the last thing she needed at this point was her sending knowing looks in her direction or listening behind closed doors in an effort to pick up more information. She liked Yuki – she truly did – but, sometimes, her innocent curiosity bordered on annoying.

With a sigh, she walked into the bathroom and threw everything in the hamper; turning to face the mirror, she quickly bent down and retrieved her hair dryer from one of the cabinets, before plugging it in and beginning to dry her hair. She didn't bother with styling it, as she currently had no plans of leaving the house, so when she was finished, she pulled it up into a messy ponytail. Same went with her make-up – she only applied the essentials, like foundation and mascara, and then exited both the bathroom and her bedroom, slowly making her way downstairs.

She was rather surprised when she entered the kitchen and didn't find Yuki there, but she assumed she was out shopping, since the refrigerator was relatively empty. There was coffee made, thankfully, and she helped herself to some, hoping it would help pull her out of her zombie-like state. Holding the cup in one hand, she walked out of the room and made her way down the hall, towards the library. It was warm and sunny outside, the type of weather she adored, but all she wanted at this point was to curl up with a book, on the comfortable couch, in front of that large window that made up an entire wall.

Although the entire house was beautiful, the library was, by far, her favorite room. Shelf after shelf of books covered the walls, books that had been her little refuge throughout the years. Whenever she felt sad, lonely, or simply tired of everything that meant her life, she came here; she would curl up with a book and a cup of hot chocolate, and would totally lose herself into the world she read about, forgetting everything about her problems, about her fucked-up life, about all the mistakes she'd done in the past and the consequences they'd brought to the present.

And that was exactly what she planned on doing today. Choosing a book, she stretched out on one of the plush couches and placed her feet on the coffee table in front of her, making herself comfortable.

For a long while, she just sat there, repeating the process that had become a part of her routine in the last two years, thus successfully managing to keep any thoughts of her husband and the events that had taken place the night before out of her mind. That, until a soft, muted sound from the hallway ruined her concentration, bringing her back to reality.

By the time she looked up, a slight frown adorning her features, he was already there – in the doorway, watching her intensely. Pushing herself into a sitting position, she warily set her feet back on the ground and placed her book on the table, moving slowly, as she was not quite sure of what was going on, of why he was home so early the second time in a row.

She couldn't be mad at him for what he'd done this morning, nor could she call him out on it – especially not right now, when he was looking at her like that, as if she were the only person in the world, the only one who truly mattered to him. Besides, she was pretty sure that if she brought that up, he would blame it on his inexperience with relationships, so it was somewhat pointless, anyway.

Standing up, she began to take slow, cautious steps towards him, confused as to why he was just standing there, doing nothing. Just as she opened her mouth to question him, he suddenly moved, closing the distance between them in a flash and abruptly cupping her face within his hands, her body jerking forward with the force of his action. Sakura gasped and her hands shot out to wrap around his wrists, but all words of protest died in her throat when she looked up into his mesmerizing onyx eyes.

Swallowing hard, she tried to speak once more, to ask him just what the hell was going on, but he cut her off before any sound could come out of her mouth.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice pained, as he closed his eyes and rested his forehead against hers.

Sakura frowned as she heard this, not knowing what he was apologizing for. Was he sorry because he had left so early this morning? Or did he regret what had happened the night before? Before she could start to question him on that matter, though, he covered her mouth with his, kissing her with so much passion that it made her dizzy.

It was only a matter of seconds before all thoughts and questions left her mind completely, and she began to respond to the kiss, snaking her arms around his neck, her hands tangling in his raven hair.

Growling softly against her lips, he hurriedly picked her up, forcing her to wrap her legs around his waist; never pulling his lips away from hers, he carried her upstairs to her room and gently dropped her on the bed, the mattress softening her fall. In an instant almost, he was on top of her, his strong body pinning hers down as his mouth attacked her neck.

Surprisingly enough, though, given his apparent urgency, he was much, much gentler than the night before. Once they were on the bed, he began to gradually slow down; his kisses became less frantic and much softer, his touches less rough and much gentler. Everything seemed to suddenly gain a purpose, and despite the fact that she had no idea what the purpose could be, Sakura chose to close her eyes and push all coherent thoughts to the back of her mind, wanting nothing more than to lose herself in the sensations he was evoking inside of her. And lose herself she did.

~•~

For a long time, neither of them moved, nor spoke. They remained wrapped up in each other; he held himself above her on his elbows, his head buried in the crook of her neck, where he placed butterfly kisses from time to time, while Sakura's arms snaked around his neck and began to gently ran her hands through his hair, her lips brushing against his temple.

"I'm sorry," he whispered after what seemed like an eternity, his breath fanning against her ear.

Sakura surpassed a shiver at the sensation, but frowned as she heard him, suddenly remembering the context of this. Tugging lightly at his hair, she forced him to raise his head and look at her. "What in the world are you talking about, Sasuke?" she asked, her green eyes boring into his.

Upon hearing that, the Uchiha sighed and finally peeled himself off her, flopping down on the other side of the bed. Sakura's frown deepened at his actions, her confusion growing; sitting up, she grabbed the blanket that hung over the bed-post and covered herself with it, tucking it under her arms and turning to face her husband once again.

Sasuke had thrown an arm over his eyes in the meantime and his lips were now firmly pressed together, like they usually were when he was annoyed about something; believe it or not, that actually caused a smile to spread on her features – he was incredibly cute, and totally unaware of it.

Wrapping the blanket tighter around herself, she climbed over him so that she was now straddling his lap, making him remove his arm from his eyes and look up at her, surprised with her actions. Leaning forward and placing her elbows on either side of his head, she pressed her lips to his in a soothing, almost encouraging kiss, knowing just how hard it was for him to open up and give her explanations.

Sasuke sighed quietly as she did this and reached out to tuck some of her hair behind her ear, stopping for a moment to caress her cheek gently. It was almost incredible, the effect this girl had on him – a simple kiss from her, and all of his worries were suddenly gone, nowhere to be seen. Truth to be told, he wasn't entirely sure to what extent he _didn't_ like that.

He had felt so damn bad after he had left the house… Millions of disturbing thoughts clouded his mind, and he'd tried to kill them by burying himself under a mountain of paperwork, but he soon found out that was basically impossible. All he could think of was Sakura, and for the first time in a long time, he felt like he could seriously punch himself in the face for what he'd done to her.

Before, it had been easier to cope with the concept that he had been an asshole to her, for he believed she hadn't been a saint, either, regardless of the fact that she had never truly _hurt_ him. But now…now he realized that the only one who had made mistakes was him, that he had hurt and insulted a creature that, not only had no fault of what was happening, but also that had never, ever lashed out at him in any other way than through her words. She had never come down to his level; she had only lied to make him believe she had.

Out of the both of them, she had more dignity than he would ever hope to achieve. And that hurt – it made his heart clench in this funny, painful, totally unfamiliar way. For the first time ever, he actually felt like he hated his impulsive self, and that was much to say, since his arrogance had never truly allowed him to feel something like that.

He wanted to change; he wanted it more than ever. And the knowledge that it would take a while until he managed to do that annoyed him beyond what words could describe.

It was a while until he snapped, finally unable to control himself anymore. He'd stormed out of the company before anybody could get to question him on anything and ran to his car, speeding down the highway that led to their house. When he arrived there, something pulled him towards the library and he followed without question, an entire array of feelings crashing down on him as soon as his eyes fell on her.

He had so many things to tell her, yet all of those came out as whispered 'I'm sorry's' and worshipping – almost loving – touches. He couldn't help it. He wasn't a man of words, but of actions.

Even as he lay here now, kissing her and knowing that there was just no way he could _not_ mention this to her, he had no idea how to start talking, how to approach the subject without fucking everything up.

After a while, she pulled away and rested her forehead against his, gazing down at him with a soft look in her green eyes. "You can trust me, you know?" she whispered softly, her breath fanning against his cheek. "I'm your wife, and even though I hadn't really acted like it until now, I promise that…whatever this is, I will try to understand. I will never judge you."

Sasuke knew that, of course. She had been so kind and forgiving, that the idea of her judging him – for anything – bordered on amusing. She'd taken him back after all the things he'd done to her, and that meant a whole damn lot to him, since he knew that very few people had the capacity of doing something like that.

The problem here was that he had no idea how to bring this matter into discussion. His pessimistic mind could only come up with two scenarios: one – in which he would make a total fool of himself and then lash out at her for no apparent reason – or two – in which this subject would remind her of all the bullshit he'd put her through and she would get mad, throw all his mistakes in his face, and therefore start a fight.

Both of those possibilities could have disastrous consequences over their still fragile relationships, and if there was one thing in this world that Sasuke was sure of at that point, was that he didn't want that – at least not right now. Things were just too damn good at the moment, and he briefly contemplated not bringing it up at all. But then he remembered the conversation he'd overheard and the hurt look in her eyes when he denied her attempt at cooking him something. She was right – a relationship couldn't function on physical stuff only; words were needed, too.

With that thought in mind, he sighed and quickly pushed himself into a sitting position, keeping his hands set firmly on her hips to stabilize her and stop her from getting off him. Leaning back against the headboard, he brought his gaze to hers, watching the surprise in her eyes slowly mold into confusion.

Just as she opened her mouth to speak, he blurted out the first thing that came to his mind, in the only manner he knew – blunt and harsh, short and complex. "Why did you lie to me?"

Sakura blinked upon hearing that, and her eyebrows shot up in shock. "Excuse me?" she sputtered, now frowning deeply.

"You lied to me," he repeated. "All along."

"What are you talking about?" she asked, shaking her head.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, annoyance starting to seep into his system. "You used to tell me that you slept around with men," he almost snapped, his temper getting the best out of him, but then abruptly stopped as he saw the fear that flashed across her eyes for a moment. Bringing his hand up to gently caress her cheek, his voice gained a much softer edge as he continued, "When last night was clearly your first time."

The pinkette gasped and froze as she heard this, her mind going blank for a moment. How had he found out? And why was he even bringing it up? Quickly looking away, she made a move to get off him, not wanting to spend another second wrapped up in his arms, but his hands gripped her hips again, keeping her in place.

"Hey!" he exclaimed, surprised by her reaction; truth to be told, he'd expected something more mature than an attempt at running away, especially from her and especially in a situation like this. It was clear to him now – for some reason or another, she really hadn't wanted him to find out about this. The only question that remained was…why? "Where do you think you're going? We're going to solve this like two adults, or what?" he asked, bending his head slightly in an effort to catch her eye. She refused to make the job any easier for him, though, stubbornly continuing to look away.

After a few moments of silence, she spoke in a rather cold and detached tone, "I'm sorry."

Her husband simply blinked, still unable to understand her behavior. "Sorry is not enough," he told her calmly.

"Well, it's all I can give you," she seethed angrily, finally raising her head to glare at him.

Sasuke's eyebrows rose at her sudden outburst, his shocked expression and intense gaze causing her to avert her eyes from him once more, her confidence seeming to disappear in an instant.

"Sakura…" he murmured, frowning and shaking his head. "Sakura, what's going on?" he asked as he gently titled her chin up so that she would look at him.

With a sigh, the pinkette complied with his request and locked gazes with him, her apple green eyes instantly softening as they found the mix of confusion and concern from his black orbs. And it was in that particular moment that she wished she were stronger, wished she had the explanations he was asking for. But she wasn't and she didn't; everything made sense in her mind, but when it came to putting what she was feeling into words… It was impossible, especially since their relationship was still so damn fragile at this point.

"Sasuke, look," she started after a few moments of heavy silence, her voice soft and quiet. "I'm not…I'm not entirely comfortable with this subject, so can you please…can you please just let it go?"

"No," he answered instantly, in a rather blunt manner, despite the pleading tone of her voice. Sakura closed her eyes as she heard this, biting her tongue in an effort to keep from snapping at him. "You lied, and I can understand that, to a certain degree," he continued. "But why didn't you tell me about it last night? Fuck, I could have hurt you, you know that?"

"But you didn't," she answered simply.

"But I could have!" he snapped back, his temper flaring as he saw her roll her eyes. "Why didn't you want me to know?" he demanded, now clearly annoyed and out of patience.

"I'm not exactly proud of having given you my virginity, okay?" she shouted before she could stop herself, her eyes lighting up with anger. "I've given you another chance and I was being completely honest when I said I was willing to leave the past behind and forgive you – which, I already did – but after all you've done, you really didn't deserve that. Don't you agree with me?"

As soon as the words were out of the mouth, however, she began to regret having said them. Sasuke looked shocked at the outburst, but that only lasted a second, before he averted his eyes from hers, finally letting go of her hips; his jaw was tense and his hands were now clenched into fists, so she could tell just how hard he was trying not to yell back at her.

Considering how impulsive he usually was, the only reason for which he was holding back right now had to be because he knew she was right. And that realization was all it took for her resolve to crumble into tiny little pieces. What was she doing? Why was she lashing out on him like this? It wasn't his fault that she'd decided not to tell him, just like it wasn't his fault that he now wanted to know why.

Letting out a soft sigh, she closed her eyes for a brief moment, then placed her hands on his shoulder blades and leaned down in an effort to catch his eye once again. "I don't regret last night, Sasuke," she murmured as their gazes met, shaking her head slightly. "I admit, in a way, it felt right. But you didn't deserve it," she repeated, knowing that more lies would take them nowhere. "And that's something you should learn how to cope with. Just like I've done."

"Well, you certainly never hesitated last night," he shot at her, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring up at her.

"No," she admitted, her voice soft. "Because I had long since come to terms with the fact that some people have much, much more than what they deserve or need; you are one of those people. And I'm willing to make this marriage work, regardless of that. But there was something inside me that stirred when I woke up alone this morning, a part that _still_ believes I've been a huge idiot for giving you…everything.

"And wipe that look off your face, will you?" She rolled her eyes at the small pout he was wearing and the annoyed glint in his onyx eyes. "It's about time you started to know the real me. The me that isn't afraid to tell you what she thinks, how she feels. I'm not one of _those_ girls, Sasuke; I won't take any of your bullshit. I'm patient and kind and understanding and all you want, but I'm giving you all of me right now, and you should know that I won't settle for anything less in return," she told him, watching carefully as his expressing changed from annoyed, to regretful, and then to slightly confused.

"I…" he started after a few moments of silence, breaking eye contact. "I didn't think it would bother you so much."

Sakura frowned. "You didn't think _what_ would bother me so much? The fact that you brought this up?"

"No," he answered, shaking his head. "The fact that I left before you woke up."

She scoffed lightly. "Of course it did," she said. "I mean, I understand that you have to go to work and all that, but still…how do I tell you this?" She paused for a second, searching for the right words. "You don't just sleep with a woman for the very first time and then leave her alone in the morning. She'll get mad no matter the circumstances. She'll feel used, betrayed, like she doesn't mean a thing to you."

"Is that…" He paused, swallowing thickly as his almost horrified gaze met hers once again. "Is that how you felt?"

"For a moment, yes," she admitted with a soft sigh, then continued in a lighter tone, "You're just lucky I know you well enough to understand that you didn't do it on purpose."

Sasuke, however, didn't seem to have picked up on the teasing hints from her voice or on the subtle glint in her eyes. He furrowed his eyebrows, looking as if he was thinking about something for a moment, and then raised one, watching her skeptically. "So, I take it I'm supposed to stay in bed with you until you wake up every morning?" he asked, with only a touch of sarcasm.

The pinkette couldn't resist a chuckle. It was obvious to her that he wouldn't do something like that even if her answer turned out to be 'yes', but he had truly considered it, and the fact that he had actually taken his time to ask her about it seemed like a whole damn lot to her, especially coming from a person as self-contained as him.

Something was…different. Suddenly, he seemed more open, more relaxed in her presence. Whether it was because of what had happened between them the night before, or because he'd found out her little secret, she couldn't know for sure. And she knew better than to ask him about it, especially since she doubted he even perceived the subtle change.

Regardless of that, though, it felt good. For the first time ever, she actually felt like there was truly a chance for them to make this work. It wasn't just a figment of her imagination, wasn't just a sentence with no meaning that she kept repeating to herself over and over again, like a mantra. It was real – and she felt it in every fiber of her being.

She actually laughed out loud at the realization, true happiness bubbling up inside her. "No, smartass," she replied as she bent her head so that her forehead was now resting on his, their noses touching; Sasuke looked up at her and blinked, slightly surprised with her change in demeanor. "But I'd really appreciate it if you did so in weekends," she added, smiling sweetly.

Upon hearing that, the Uchiha couldn't help but roll his eyes, huffing an amused breath; he should have known there would be a 'but' somewhere in there. But then again, it wasn't like he minded this little request of hers. Actually, he was quite surprised to find that, in fact, he was already looking forward to complying with it.

Waving his fingers through her silky hair, he titled his head upwards and touched his lips to hers, kissing her softly, chastely. Sakura responded eagerly, smiling lightly and pressing her upper body against his. After only a moment, she broke apart and opened her eyes, gazing fondly at him.

"Now," she started, wanting to finally put an end of this conversation, "can we please go on and pretend this never happened?" she begged softly, feeling slightly embarrassed that she had been forced to talk so openly about something so intimate, now that her annoyance-induced haze had worn off.

Sasuke's answer, however, was not what she had expected to hear. "No," he replied bluntly.

"And why the hell not?" she snapped back, raising an eyebrow and cocking her head to the side.

He shrugged. "Because it means a lot to me," he replied simply.

Sakura scoffed. "To your ego, you mean," she corrected with a slight roll of her eyes.

Annoyed with her response, Sasuke narrowed his eyes at her and abruptly let go of her waist, crossing his arms over his chest once again. The pinkette watched him silently for a moment, before unceremoniously bursting into laughter, his childish demeanor suddenly too much for her to handle.

His eyes narrowed even more at her reaction, and before she even knew what had happened, she was one her back, with him above her, his body pressed flush against hers. "You think this is funny?" he growled, his nose bumping against hers and his breath fanning against her lips.

"Honestly?" she asked, smiling sheepishly and earning a light glare from him in response. "Well, yeah."

No sooner had she managed to get the words out, that her husband's hands unexpectedly moved to her waist and began to tickle her, making her squeal at the sudden assault.

"Stop it!" she laughed, trying her hardest to slip from underneath him, but not really able to, since he was too strong and was holding her too tightly.

"Apologize," he demanded huskily in her ear, ceasing his assault for a moment.

"For what?" Sakura asked, breathing heavily, a smile still present on her face.

"For laughing at me," he replied simply.

"Oh, please," she scoffed, only to squeal a moment later when he tickled her again. "Okay, okay!" she exclaimed, squirming away. "You were just too cute for your own good!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes, grunting lightly at her confession and, at the same time, preparing to let her go.

"…But I'm still not apologizing!"

However, upon hearing that, he growled again, playfully this time, and kissed her passionately, a smile almost breaking on his face as she once again laughed against his lips.

And for the first time in a long time, Sasuke could have sworn he felt happiness bubbling inside of him.

* * *

_A/N: Cheesy ending, I know. I've had about three versions; this was the best one. So I guess it'll have to do, since I don't exactly have time to think about something better right now._

_As you have probably noticed, this was more of a filler-chapter than anything else. I just needed to have Sasuke find out about this whole thing, and since the next chapter will contain a small time-skip, I figured it would be better if I posted it like this. _

_Speaking of the next chapter, I'm not sure when I'll have it ready. I hope soon, but then again, I always hope. My final exams are almost over at this point, and since winter vacation is now closer than ever, it probably won't take me this long to update again. In any case, check my blog for ramblings and teasers. _

_Now, review! A cookie will be waiting for you into your mail if you do!_

_P.S. As per usual, you can find pictures of Sakura's outfit on my profile._


	23. Jealousy, Indeed

_A/N: Hello, everybody! And…as always, sorry for the rather long wait. _

_But first things first: I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!_

_I'm a tiny little bit late with this update, since I'd initially planned to 'place it under the tree' first thing in the morning, but some things ended up getting in the way… Then again, technically, it's still the 25__th__. But I won't keep rambling anymore; instead, I'll let you unwrap my little present!_

_Oh, and remember: all this happens a few weeks later. _

_

* * *

_

_**Incomplete**__  
By The Terrorist_

_**Chapter twenty-three**__  
Jealousy, Indeed_

_

* * *

_

Beams of light attacked a certain pinkette's eyes, slowly forcing her back into the world of consciousness.

Her head was lying on the pillow, her hair sprawled messily over its entire surface, while her body was covered with the sheets, her long, creamy legs tangled in it. Languidly, her tired, apple-green eyes flickered open, though only halfway, before closing back as a soft groan escaped her rosy lips. Rolling over on her side, she buried her head into the pillow, her body instinctually curling into a loose ball.

Only seconds later, she felt fingertips slowly begin to trail up her bare back, and then two strong arms wrapping themselves around her waist, pulling her against their owner's toned chest. A soft, contented sigh escaped her lips as he gently cradled her against him, wrapping her into his warmth.

Smiling, she rested one of her hands on his forearm and snuggled deeper into her pillow, enjoying the feeling of his hard body pressed so tightly against her smaller, lithe one.

It had been nearly three weeks since she and Sasuke had gotten together (in the true sense of the word), and their relationship had been developing quite nicely ever since then. There were no more glares and no more hurtful words, and along with those, their fights had also disappeared. Sure, they weren't always on the same page, but then again, what couple was? Most of the times, their disagreements were caused by the stupidest little things – things over which she ended up laughing her head off, while Sasuke would smirk and shake his head at her, amusement shining in his black orbs.

Speaking of, she had learned that his eyes were, by far, the most expressive part of his body, sometimes the only way one could tell what he was thinking, or how he was feeling. When he talked to her in the past, they used to be pitch-black, filled with anger and resentments, or simply unreadable, so she really would have never guessed.

She was proud to say that she could now always see at least one emotion flickering in them, even if for a short period of time, and she had no problem with admitting that she positively _loved_ it.

Sasuke had also become more communicative over the course of these past few weeks. Of course, he still didn't come to her on his own and started telling her about his day (she wasn't even sure to what degree she would like that, considering the fact that it would be very out of character for someone like him), but at least now she didn't have to refrain herself from asking him a question out of fear of not being answered, or of being considered annoying.

Although…another thing she had learned about him was that 'annoying' was actually a good word in his dictionary, and that he could sometimes even go as far as using it to make one of his – _very_ original and _very_ rare – compliments. And that was quite lucky of him because, had she not known this, she would have probably already managed to land him into the hospital, given all the times that he had called her that in these past few weeks.

She felt happy, though. Things weren't the same as the ones she had conjured while in their first year of marriage, when she was foolishly waiting for him to open his eyes on his own and notice her, but it seemed like, sometimes, life could surprise her by showing her that reality was, in fact, much better than any dream.

Although it didn't feel all that great in this very moment… It was Sunday, a week before TenTen's wedding, and she and the girls had established to meet up at a café in order to discuss some of the details that had remained unattended in the course of these past few weeks.

Sakura had never considered the brunette to be a control freak, but things changed 180 degrees when it came to her wedding day; it seemed like she wouldn't settle for anything less than perfection, and she was ready to drive everybody crazy if that meant achieving it.

During the week, their frequent meetings hadn't really bothered her. They formed part of a comfortable routine – she would sleep in until noon or so, spend the whole afternoon with her friends, then come home to Sasuke and lose herself into their own little world until the next day, when the process would repeat itself.

Unfortunately, she couldn't say the same thing about right now. She was just so damn tired…simply exhausted. She didn't know why, but she had felt that way the entire week, always sleeping up late and hiding – although with great effort sometimes – her lack of enthusiasm from the girls.

All of that changed when her husband came home in the evening, though; for some reason or another, she always felt particularly _energized_ upon seeing him.

Small, soft kisses planted on her shoulder-blades brought her back from her thoughts, making another smile blossom on her face. Sasuke might seem like a cold asshole on the outside, but the truth was that inside, he was just like a little teddy-bear. He liked to cuddle with her and, most of the times, did everything in his power to touch her, to keep a physical connection between them even when they were out of the bedroom (which, admittedly, didn't happen very often). And, in moments like these, he could also be very sweet.

Not to mention the fact that he was _all_ about touches while in bed. She could barely remember a time when she woke up without his arms around her – well, aside from the weekdays – and on the rare occasions she did, he would always reach out to her in less than a minute, as if sensing that she was awake and watching him.

"What time is it?" he asked huskily, pressing his nose into her hair and inhaling deeply. One more thing she found interesting – and entirely cute – about him: he seemed to love the scent of both her shampoo and her perfume. He never said it out loud, but when he was sniffing her every time he had the chance, it wasn't very hard for her to realize it on her own.

Raising her head a little in order to catch a glimpse of the clock on the nightstand, she smiled as his arms tightened around her, probably afraid that she was going to slip out of their grasp. With a soft sigh, she let her head drop back down on the pillow, her fingers starting to trail up and down his forearm. "It's almost 12 o'clock," she murmured and closed her eyes, not even wanting to think of that fact that, in two hours, she would have to leave the comfort of her husband's arms in order to meet up with the girls. Don't get me wrong, she loved all of them dearly, and she knew it was her moral duty as TenTen's friend to help her with the wedding preparations, but all she wanted to do today was laze around and waste time cuddling with Sasuke.

However, she found out, as soon as she felt his grip on her loosen considerably, that her wish wasn't going to be granted – not even by Sasuke himself. Before she could stop him, he removed his arms from around her and sat up; he turned around when he heard her soft noise of discomfort, but only to raise an eyebrow at her, amusement shining in those eyes of his once again. Standing up, he quickly located his boxers and pulled them on, before turning to face her once more and smirking at the sight that met him – she was now curled up in a ball, with the blanket covering her entire body, even her head.

Sakura could be very mature when she wanted to; she had some theories – starting with the most mundane of things, down to the most complicated matters he'd ever heard of – that left him with his mouth open, but when the circumstances called for it – and especially when she didn't get her way about something – she could also be extremely childish. And cute, for that matter. But he would never, ever admit that he believed that, nor would he ever even _think_ about saying it out loud.

He didn't know why, though, but he had a feeling that there was something more to this situation, something else than her childish side showing itself once again. Usually, she would whine and try her hardest to persuade him into doing whatever she wanted him to do, but right now…right now she didn't seem to have any intention whatsoever of doing any of those.

She just sat there, unmoving, the only sounds coming from her being her soft, rhythmic breaths; he somehow knew that if he were to leave the room, she wouldn't even notice his absence. It seemed like all she wanted to do at this point was to go back to sleep, and that unnerved him the slightest bit. Sakura used to be a morning person, but in the past few weeks, she had made a habit out of sleeping late. Don't get me wrong, that didn't bother him, and it wasn't like he believed that it was a bad thing. People changed, he knew that. But changes were…annoying to think of.

With a sigh, he walked around to her side of the bed and took a seat on it, pulling the covers back so that he could see her face. The pinkette groaned at his actions and immediately opened her eyes to glare lightly at him, but then buried her face back into the pillow in an effort to block out the sun's bright rays.

"What's up with you?" he asked, his voice tinted with concern, as his hand reached out to gently rub her back.

Her answer was immediate. "I don't want to get up," she whined childishly.

"You said you had to meet the girls sometime today," he reminded her, the possibility of her having forgotten about it flashing through his mind.

"That was yesterday," she countered, stubbornly holding her ground.

At this, Sasuke couldn't help but frown. In the little time that he had known her – like, truly known her – he had learned that she very rarely refused to go out with her friends; those girls were just too damn important to her. "Okay, what's wrong?" he asked, no longer doubting the fact that something was off.

Sakura picked up on his serious tone, and although she would have liked to be able to ignore it, she couldn't bring herself to do so. "I don't feel that well," she confessed in a whisper, still not looking at him.

The Uchiha frowned. "You don't look sick," he told her, confused. Then realization hit him. "Have you eaten?"

The pinkette groaned, feeling her stomach turn unexplainably at the mention of food. "Can we please not talk about that right now?" she pleaded, burying her face further into the pillow. "I'm afraid I'll throw up on you."

"Nausea?" he asked, his frown deepening, but his hand caressing the nape of her neck softly.

Sakura managed to surpass a purr at his actions, instead letting out a soft sigh. "Something like that, I suppose," she replied quietly.

"I'll bring you something to drink," he stated as he stood up, missing the whimper that escaped her as his touch disappeared along with him. "I think it's supposed to help."

The confused tone of his voice told her that he really had no idea what he was talking about. Then again, he was most definitely not known for being a nurturer or a caregiver. But at least he was trying.

And, really, that was all that mattered to her.

~•~

An hour later, Sakura was sitting on the bed, dressed in a green, short-sleeved shirt and a pair of black pants, bending down at the waist as she put her heels on. After having spent another fifteen minutes lazing around and then taken a hot, relaxing shower, she could definitely say that she felt much better. Still not very energized and eager to go out with the girls, but at least her body didn't protest every time she made a move anymore.

"Feeling any better?" Sasuke's voice carried from the doorway, and she looked up to see him leaning against the doorframe, his hands crossed over his chest.

He, too, had taken a shower and thrown some clothes on – although not before bringing her a glass of orange juice, like he had promised – and it briefly occurred to her that he looked even sexier when dressed casually. But she had a feeling that, the next day, upon seeing him in his classy, black suit, she would think the exact opposite.

"Yup," she answered, popping out the 'p', as she stood up, a smile on her face. Turning her back at him, she grabbed the green belt that hung on the back of a nearby chair and made her way inside her walk-in closet, stopping in front of the full-length mirror to put the accessory on. Sasuke appeared behind her only a few moments later, and she smiled as their eyes locked through the mirror.

"You're leaving already?" he questioned, his eyes fixed on her face as she began to rearrange the locks of hair that had flown out of place.

Sakura made a small, affirmative noise in response, and then turned back around, ready to walk past him back into the bedroom when his hand shot out and grasped her wrist, abruptly pulling her to his chest. She gasped, but then inwardly rolled her eyes at Sasuke's habit of grabbing her and pulling her to him when she least expected it – he always did that, and it was starting to get irritating by now.

Releasing his grip on her, he placed both of his hands on her hips and pulled her even closer, bending his head so that he could rest his forehead against hers.

"You're annoying, you know that?" he told her, their gazes locked.

Sakura glared lightly at him upon hearing his so-called insult, which made a small smirk appear on his features. "And why is that now?" she asked, raising an eyebrow in silent challenge.

"Because I took a day off, and you're leaving me to spend it with the girls," he explained.

The pinkette rolled her eyes. "It's Sunday, Sasuke. Nobody works on Sunday."

"I do," he reminded her.

"Nuh-uh." She shook her head. "You used to."

"And you changed that," he said simply.

"And I'm very proud of it," she countered. "But TenTen's wedding is in a week."

The Uchiha frowned. "So what? It's not like it's _your_ wedding."

"She's my friend, Sasuke," she reminded him, making an effort to sound patient. It was not the first time they had this conversation – it seemed like Sasuke could get pretty clingy when in need of some affection. "And there are like, a million little things waiting to be done. I swear, you and Neji must be the only ones who are just sitting around, doing nothing. Everybody else is—"

She would have wanted to continue her explanation, hoping that he would finally get what this whole thing was about, but she was promptly cut off by his lips, which landed on her at the most unexpected moment. Yes, _again_. She didn't have the power to resist him, though – she never did – so only moments later, she found herself responding to the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck and letting her hands bury themselves into his soft hair. If his low purr was any indication, she figured he must like it when she did that.

"You talk too much, Sakura," he murmured playfully when they pulled apart, his lips brushing against hers as he spoke.

Sakura raised an eyebrow, her green eyes suddenly shining with slyness. "Oh, yeah?" she asked, a smile breaking on her face.

Sasuke smirked back at her. "Yeah," he answered with an air of finality around it.

"Well, in that case…" She placed her hands on his hips and softly pushed him out of the closet, not having to make much effort, for he soon got the hang of what was happening…and, of course, he let he do her thing. As they reached the bed, she gave a light push to his stomach and watched as he flopped down on the mattress.

Smirking slyly, she instantly climbed over him, her hair falling around their heads like a curtain as her nose touched his. Leaning in further, her breath ghosting against his lips, Sakura made it seem like she was about to kiss him, but instead looked up into his eyes, their pitch-black color seeming to have darkened even more with his lust, and whispered seductively, "I have to go."

However, before she could even raise herself onto her elbows and try to get off him, he had already grabbed her waist, holding her tightly against him. "You don't get to do this to me, Sakura," he warned, making her laugh. She should have known there was no way she could ever deny the Uchiha something – especially when she had promised it, one way or another, beforehand.

"Well, I'm very sorry, but I have to go," she said. "I don't have a car, and I can't be late, so – "

"What do you mean you don't have a car?" he cut her off, a frown making its appearance on his features.

Sakura shook her head. "I _have_ a car. I just don't have it here," she clarified.

"Oh, really?" he asked, his tone sarcastic, as he rose an eyebrow. "Did it suddenly come to life and leave on its own?"

"Very funny," she deadpanned, rolling her eyes. "I left it at a friend's, Sasuke." She had hoped she could get away with this one sentence, but as soon as she noticed the expectant look he was giving her, she realized that wouldn't be possible. Rolling her eyes once more, she sighed and launched into giving him a full explanation, just as he liked. "TenTen and I went to take care of some business regarding the wedding, but the whole deal took longer than we expected, so she brought me home and we agreed that we'd get my car the next day. Which is today, so if you excuse me – "

"What business?" he asked, in a rather demanding tone, interrupting her once again.

Sakura blinked, confused. "Huh?"

"You said you had to take care of some business regarding the wedding," he clarified, inwardly rolling his eyes. "What exactly?"

The pinkette remained quiet for a moment, as the shock, combined with a small amount of annoyance, settled into her system. He was her husband, and although it didn't seem like it, he was rather curious by nature – she understood that. But still, it didn't give him the right to interrogate her about every single little detail that made up her life. She didn't do that with him, damn it!

"Are you kidding me?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "What is this, a police station?"

It was Sasuke's turn to keep quiet for a while. He had to admit, he might have take it a little too far, but still…he kind of had the _right_ to know about the things that happened in her life, didn't he? After all, he _was_ her husband. And her refusal to give an answer to his simple question immediately led him to the conclusion that she might just have something to hide.

At least _he_ wouldn't have a problem with answering her questions if he kept no secrets from her.

And if she really did have something to hide, there was no doubt in his mind that he would have to find out what that something was. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't like he was seeking for problems in their relationship; it was just that…he hated being lied to. And he would make that clear, no matter what.

"…I'll take you," he finally announced as he pushed himself into a sitting position, letting go of her in the process.

Sakura frowned, both at his actions and at his words, and crawled off his lap, standing up in front of him. "Where?" she asked.

"To meet the girls," he said. "And then I'll pick you up and we'll go get your car."

Although still a bit confused, the pinkette's eyes softened at his seemingly innocent offer. "You don't have to do that, Sasuke," she told him, her voice soft, shaking her head lightly.

Said person raised an eyebrow. "And why not?" he asked, his tone holding an almost challenging hint to it.

However, Sakura didn't seem to have picked up on it. "It's your day off," she explained. "You don't have to spend it pampering me. You can do…" she trailed off, unable to come up with a proper continuation of that sentence, before shrugging and conforming with a, "Well, whatever you do in your free time."

"And if I want to spend my day off pampering you?" he challenged her again in hopes to get a reaction out of her.

It was a futile attempt, though, for all he managed to get in return was a brilliant smile. One that, along with the happy glint in her eyes, made him frown inwardly. Because Sasuke was pretty sure that most women he knew – and here, he was referring to women like his mother, not the _other_ category – wouldn't be very happy to have their husband following them around like lost puppies.

Sakura, on the other hand, not only looked like she had absolutely no problem with it, but also seemed to actually like it. Like, _really_ like it. In fact, he would even go as far as saying that she looked almost grateful for it. Which was kind of weird, really.

Either she was really special, or she was truly hiding something from him – and doing an awesome job at it. At this point, both of those options were perfectly plausible in his mind.

…And that only served to unsettle him more.

~•~

Later that day, Sasuke found himself in his car, waiting for Sakura to come back from her date with the girls.

It had been nearly three hours since he'd dropped her off at the destined café, and there was no denying the fact that he had nearly gone crazy in the meantime. He wasn't entirely sure whether that was because of her absence, or because of all the scenarios his mind kept coming up with; it could have been both – to him, it didn't really matter.

As rational as he might be, he just didn't have the necessary patience to properly analyze the situation – what cause it, how it developed, and how it could be solved – before acting. He never did, and it seemed like that was exactly the problem in this situation.

He knew there had to be a logical explanation for which Sakura didn't have her car at home; he also knew there was a very high chance that that explanation could be exactly the one she had given him. But there was another thing he knew, one that totally contradicted her words: his wife wasn't one to go around without her car. It was one of the few things he knew with certainty about her, one of the few things that he had known ever since the first week they spent together as a married couple, and he refused to let go of it so easily, just because her words and actions from this morning made it seem improbable.

Really, had he known it would all get down to this – get down to him sitting on the couch, his elbows resting on his knees, his hands clutching his hair like their only purpose was to rip it out, his mind running over every single little reason for which his wife would lie to him (and those were quite a lot, he eventually realized) – he would have never let her go. He would have initiated a conversation with her and would have kept her inside the house with him until the last one of his doubts was blown away.

Don't get me wrong, it wasn't like he didn't trust her, because he did. It was just that…even after all these weeks, he still didn't feel like he knew her very well. True, they did spend a lot more time together and they did do a whole range of activities together, but even so, they had yet to get to know each other thoroughly.

All the months they should have spent doing banal stuff like dating or making out or walking around holding hands – all those months that should have led up to the actual marriage weren't there. They were just thrown in it together, without having spoken to each other at least once beforehand, and it was only now that Sasuke was seeing the harm that had been done to them by that. Before, he had believed it was no big deal; now, he had just realized that it made his job – and hers, for that matter – much more difficult.

She made her appearance a few minutes later, her delicate perfume filling the interior of the car the instant he slipped inside. Once more, she thanked him for what he was doing for her, and he only grunted, knowing that repeating to her that it was no big deal would be useless. She was just stubborn like that, and if she considered that someone was doing something nice for her – something that, in her mind, wasn't needed – her opinion wouldn't change, no matter what she was told. He had long since come to terms with that, way before they had even gotten together properly.

And by 'that', he was referring solely to her stubbornness. Because, let's admit it! Before, he would have _never_ even thought of doing something nice for her.

The ride to their destination was relatively quiet, the only words spoken between the two of them being her short indications that helped him get to her so-called girlfriend's house. True, there was a slight tension lingering in the air, a tension that was not usually present, but neither of them were people who would feel the need to cover it with useless chatter, so they both ended up brushing it off.

Well, at lest Sakura did, because her husband happened to know exactly what was up with that tension and who emitted it. And yes, it _was_ slightly disconcerting to see her to calm and carefree when all he wanted to do was bang his head on the steering wheel in an effort to push those stupid thoughts and doubts out of his mind.

About halfway there, he got a call from work, which he eagerly took, ending it just as they reached their destination. It seemed like people at the company were still not quite used to his new schedule, so he was often called on Sunday. But since he, himself, had yet to become completely accustomed to it, he wasn't bothered at all by that.

Before getting out of the car, the pinkette calmly advised him to go home, which was probably her worst mistake so far, since it caused yet another set of alarms to go off in his head. He was quick to inquire about the truth of her previous statements – namely those concerning the fact that her friend wasn't at home – and asked her just how long it would take her to get out of the freaking parking lot.

Fortunately, Sakura knew better than to get mad at him for this, even though she did seem a little annoyed; as for his hidden accusations, she just brushed them off and insisted that he should go ahead, for she didn't want him to wait on her, like he had done the entire day.

That made sense. He _knew_ it made sense. And he had totally intended on listening to her; he had brought the fact that she had given him no reason not to trust her to the front of his mind, and had even turned the key into ignition and pulled out of the parking lot, driving down the road would lead him to their house…until he saw this spot that was just _perfect_ for what his mind had unconsciously come up with.

Slowly, as if testing the waters, he turned the car and pulled onto the side of the road; he hesitated quite a bit before turning off the engine, his hand hovering above the keys, indecision shining in his eyes… But then he thought, screw it! If she had nothing to hide, then nothing bad had to come out of this. In fact, it was a great opportunity for the both of them. He would get away with having all of his doubts promptly kicked out of his system (or proved to have been right, it depended), and she…well, she didn't really have to know about this.

With that thought in mind, he turned his gaze back towards the parking lot, where he had left her only moments ago. She was near her car now, her keys in her hand, but she seemed to be hesitating about something. Her eyes were fixed on the front door of the building, her expression showing clearly that she was debating something.

Briefly, she turned her head to look at the spot his car had been parked in, then faced the door again; making up her mind, she dropped the keys back into her back and slung it over her shoulder, quickly walking up the front steps that led to the entrance of the building. She called the intercom, and only had to wait for a moment, before somebody answered and let her in.

On his part, Sasuke frowned as he saw that, his hands tightening involuntary on the steering wheel. Wasn't her friend supposed to be gone? For sure, that's what he had told him. So where the heck was she going? And, just like that, he was slowly beginning to see the benefits of what he had done.

Only five minutes later, however, the feeling from earlier returned, and he couldn't help but feel, yet again, like an idiot for sitting there, waiting for something to happen. More than once in the next few minutes, he contemplated putting the car into reverse and driving home, like he had initially established he would do. Sakura would undoubtedly get mad if she saw him there, and again, he had no reason to believe that she was hiding something from him.

He was probably just being paranoid. He had let a person he knew basically nothing about into his life, he had opened up to her like he had never done to anyone else before, so it was only natural that he was feeling a little bit vulnerable, and that, even at the smallest hint of danger, he became defensive and maybe even a little irrational.

But every time his hand moved from the steering wheel to turn the key into ignition, he would reconsider things and tell himself, _'I've already been sitting here for a while. What are a few minutes more?'_ Because then again, you know what they say: better safe than sorry.

His patience paid off almost half an hour later, when she finally exited the building. This time, she headed straight for her car; she pulled the keys out of her bag, and was about to open the door and slip inside, when a blond man with spiky hair flew down the stairs of the building, shouting something at her.

Sasuke couldn't make out what he had said, but it seemed to have been enough for his wife to turn around, a smile breaking on her face at the sight of him. He told her something again, and she began to laugh, before suddenly running towards him and throwing herself at him, her legs wrapping around his waist as his arms came around her to support her.

With huge grins on their faces, they seemed to share another private conversation, but the Uchiha couldn't care less about that. He had seen enough.

Before his actions could even register into his mind, he had started the car and pulled out from his spot, the tires screeching as he pushed the gas pedal to the floor. Had he looked back, he would have seen the way the couple separated upon hearing the noise he had made, and the expression written on the woman's face as she watched as he disappeared.

But he didn't. He couldn't.

~•~

No matter how exhausted she had felt in the morning, Sakura couldn't say she regretted having met up with the girls. She never could. They just had a way of brightening her day with their chatter, their laughter, their teasing remarks, their gossip, and…well, simply their way of being.

Obviously, just like any other women would have done, they had squealed and aww'ed when she told them about Sasuke dropping her off and promising to come and get her. They thought that he was being amazingly sweet nowadays, and had even said it, which had warmed Sakura's heart and made her smile. Somehow, she had always known that Sasuke was a great guy on the inside, but hearing others say it – others, as in for persons who had once considered him to be the most horrible creature to have ever walked on Earth – made her realize, again and again, just how lucky she was to have him.

And even though there were moments when his quiet nature, his grunts, his demands, his coldness, his rudeness, his arrogance, and all the bad things that seemed to define him in one way or another, got to annoy her; even though their personalities clashed in the most horrible way; even though there were times when all she wanted to do was punch him six ways to Sunday… The truth was, she just couldn't be happier with her decision of giving him yet another chance.

The hours she spent with the girls were filled with chatter and lots of healthy laughter. It was almost amazing how hard it was to make wedding preparations when there was so much gossip circulating around.

TenTen was the first one to leave, as she got a phone-call regarding a problem about the wedding. The girls later commented on her rather sudden departure and on the smile from her face, and came to the conclusion that the only 'urgent matter that needed to be solved' had very much to do with Neji. Fortunately, the pinkette had managed to stop them from calling her to inform her that they had figured it all out and that she had been a little bitch for not telling them the truth straight out. Seriously, these girls were amazing, but much too indiscrete sometimes.

You can probably imagine the way they had assaulted her when she first met up with them after the dinner she had attended with Sasuke. Somehow, they had all seemed to already know that she had finally 'got it on' with her husband, and of course, they had wanted all the details possible. Thankfully, she had managed to get out of it all unscathed.

At that point, though, she had been pretty sure she would remain permanently traumatized. Which was only normal, given the fact that she had never really had girlfriends to discuss this kind of stuff with, and that these girls could be pretty brutal when they wanted to get something out of somebody.

After about an hour more spent talking, the other girls decided that they had had enough for the day. Hinata and Ino announced that they had more shopping to do, while Temari only yawned unceremoniously and told them that she was going to get some much-needed sleep. It seemed like she wasn't the only one who felt the stress of the wedding weigh down on her, and that managed to calm Sakura's nerves a little. Because, even though she had refused to admit it to Sasuke, the state she had woken up in this morning really had managed to unsettle her.

Before leaving the café, she sent him a quick text-message asking him to come and get her, just like he had requested. Truth to be told, she found it rather cute that he wanted to take care of her like that; it didn't completely blow away her need for self-sufficiency, but it came pretty damn close to that. After all, it wasn't everyday that one got her spouse anytime they wanted at just a call away.

Thanks to the fact that Sasuke pretty much drove like a maniac, she didn't have to wait for long. As soon as she saw his car pulling in front of the café, she grabbed her things and made her way towards it, quietly slipping inside – and paying special attention as not to slam the door behind her, but to gently tug it so that it could close on its own. Yeah, Mr. Uchiha was finicky like that.

The ride to Hinata's place was uneventful, for the lack of a better word. Only a few sentences were exchanged between them, and those included the directions she gave him when needed. Usually, Sakura would feel the need to somehow fill the silence, but she knew that Sasuke was rather fond of it, so she decided to keep her mouth shut.

About halfway there, his phone rang and he answered it, thus ignoring her for the rest of the small journey. It didn't bother her, though. Her heart tugged at her, but she was intelligent enough to understand that, sometimes, it was the mind's turn to lead, and she had long since come to terms with the fact that her husband was a busy man and that he had a lot of responsibility on his shoulders.

She was actually happy and grateful that he made time for her as it was. Sure, she wouldn't have it any other way, but she was well-aware of the fact that he could have been more stubborn than her and refused to give in as easily as he had done – and that made her appreciate his efforts ten times more.

They had a small argument about whether he should leave before her or not, but she believed she had managed to convince him to do as she had told him. Not that she wanted to get rid of him or anything like that, but she would have really hated it if he had to wait on her even more.

She was determined to make her way back home as soon as possible and enjoy the rest of the day with him by his side, though.

That…until she remembered that Naruto lived there, as well.

She hesitated a little before making up her mind about paying him a quick visit, knowing that Sasuke would hate it if she arrived home too late, and that he could even go as far as coming back after her. When she looked at the spot he had parked in and realized that he had actually listened to her and gone home, however, she figured it wouldn't be such a bad idea to remain here for a few minutes more.

After all, she could always just tell him the truth. She had nothing to hide, and since they could now – thankfully – have a normal conversation, she would undoubtedly have the chance to explain it to him.

Naruto was, of course, ecstatic upon seeing her. Even though they now lived in the same city, they didn't get to see each other very often. He called her sometimes, just to check up on her (because, ever since he found out about her decision of giving her husband another chance, he'd become extremely overprotective of her), but talking on the phone wasn't the same as sitting face-to-face, being able to see and touch each other, so they never stayed on too much. He was pretty busy with his just, and most of his free time, he chose to spend with his girlfriend, which was something that Sakura could now understand perfectly.

What felt really weird in this whole thing was the fact that he didn't seem to have time for her anymore; when they were younger, things used to be the total opposite, as Naruto was the one who always lazed around, doing stuff with no purpose at all, while she…she had been so full of life, so ready to try all kind of things, to absorb every bit of information she could…

And every time she thought of this, her chest tightened with something akin to regret, her heart began to throb slightly, and she suddenly seemed to fall into some kind of depression that usually didn't go away until Sasuke came home and made her forget everything but his name. She wasn't sure why, but it just didn't feel good, being the one who constantly had to wait for someone to give her a little bit of attention, or something to do. Despite the fact that she had been living this way for years, it wasn't like her at all, and she _knew_ it.

However, she figured that, at this point, her life was too complicated for her to start making changes. Things were slowly getting better, but she had to take them one at a time and to thread carefully through them. She couldn't rush – she was just too damn tired of making mistakes.

Everything felt right when she was with Naruto, though. He kept chatting away, not even bothering to check if she was listening, asking questions and immediately answering them himself, like he had always done when he w as in full ramble mode. To an outsider, it probably looked like he wasn't even paying attention to her presence, only using her so that he wouldn't be caught talking to himself, but Sakura knew better than to even think of something like that. Weird as it might seem, in moments like these, she actually felt important.

When she was with him, Sasuke made her feel like she was the only woman on the planet, and she loved that, but for some reason or another, it was only when she was around Naruto that she felt truly special. In his presence, she felt safe and cared for; she felt like her opinions were valued, even though, with his unstoppable chatter, she rarely got the chance to voice them.

She had no idea why exactly she felt that way, though. She just did. And after a few minutes spent thinking about this, she figured that, since her was her best friend, since she had known him forever, and since he basically knew everything there was to know about her, she shouldn't inwardly beat herself up for it. After all, that was what true friends were supposed to make you feel like, right? Special.

It was kind of unsettling that Sasuke had never managed to do that, she wouldn't lie, but she believed that was only because they had yet to get to know each other very well. And also…well, truth to be told, ever since they got together, she couldn't help but have all these _unrealistic_ expectations that would come to her mind every time he left her alone.

But that wasn't his fault; it wasn't even about him, to begin with. It was about her – about all the hopes and dreams that had slowly, but surely, shattered into a million little pieces right in front of her eyes. She had wasted two years of her life; looking back, she couldn't even grasp the concept of how she had managed to live like that, to make it through.

Back then, her only purpose had been to open her husband's eyes, to make him notice her, and now that he had, she wanted more; just like she had told him, she wanted everything. But the problem was…she wanted it now. She wanted things to click into place in just a fraction of second; she wanted that connection that other couples worked to obtain, and she wanted it to happen instantly, just like that. She wanted to be able to stop worrying about her words or actions and the consequences either could bring.

Thankfully, she was aware of the fact that all that was simply…impossible. This was reality, not the sort of fairy-tail she used to dream about every night, and although she sometimes had problems keeping that in mind, she always redeemed herself before she could do – or say – something stupid.

The visit was short, as she had promised herself it would. Naturally, the blond was disappointed upon hearing that she had to leave, and immediately brought up her husband, asking if he kept her in chains, or if he made up a strict schedule that she just had to respect, but instead of pissing her off, his remarks actually managed to amuse her. She made sure she told him the truth before leaving, though, as she did not want him to believe that he had hit the mark with his crazy assumptions. After all, who knew what he could possibly do if he found out that Sasuke wasn't treating her right.

As she made her way out of the building and to her beloved car, Sakura felt a cold shiver rack her body, as if warning her that something bad was about to happen, but she refused to pay attention to it. Her senses had a habit of going crazy sometimes, so she had learned not to rely on them too much, for they usually proved unworthy of her trust.

Just as she was about to open the door and slip inside, she heard the front door of the building slam closed, and she instinctively turned around, curious about what had happened. There stood Naruto, grinning like a fool (as per usual), his hands on his hips as he watched her with a sheepish look in his eyes. He didn't even give her a chance to start formulating questions, though.

"I think you forgot something, Sakura-chan!" he yelled as he spread his arms wide open, looking as if he was holding back laughter.

At first, the pinkette didn't quite understand what he was asking of her, but when he wiggled his eyebrows and grinned even wider, she immediately remembered and realized what he wanted. And as soon as she did, a smile broke on her face, and she wasted no second in running towards him, throwing herself into his arms.

It was tradition – and lately, she had made a habit out of breaking it. Naruto would have no more of that, it seemed.

She used to do it all the time with Seiji, back when he was still alive, and as their bond gradually grew stronger, she started doing it with Naruto, too. It was one of the many scenes that had haunted her for years after her brother's death, but also one of the many memories she treasured dearly. She had always felt so loved, so treasured whenever she got to hug one of her friends like that, and now that she got the chance to relieve it, she couldn't help but want to bask into that feeling for as long as possible.

Which turned out to be not long at all, for it was only a matter of seconds before a loud screech from behind her burst her bubble, the sensation from earlier returning. When the sound reached Naruto's ears, it made him frown and carefully place her back down; she turned around to see what had happened, only to freeze upon catching a glimpse of the sleek, black sports car, just before it disappeared behind the tall trees that grew on either side of the road.

Some would say she was crazy to reach the conclusion she did, but Sakura had never had problems with her sight, and she knew – like, was 100% sure – that that…that had been her husband.

And for the second time that year, she found herself crying out in frustration in front of her best friend, promising once more to murder a certain someone.

~•~

By the time she finally arrived home, her anger had skyrocketed, reaching levels it hadn't reached in a long time. Just who did he think he was, lying to her, following her around like that? Sure, she understood that he had little to no experience when it came to relationships, but this was crazy!

If he was going to stick his nose into her business, he could have at least given her a goddamn warning! Had he wanted to wait for her, he could have told her. She wouldn't have gone upstairs to visit Naruto; she would have just gotten inside her car and followed him home. Or, if things happened to come down to that, if Naruto made an appearance in the meantime, she would have called him over and introduced him to Sasuke. After all, he was her best friend and _he_ was her husband; they would have to meet someday, anyway.

Instead, however, he had chosen to lie to her, to make her believe that she had actually managed to make him see her point, and then to…and then to spy on her! Like a freaking kid who had just seen his first action movie and thought that, if he hid in the bushes and attentively studied his neighbor for a while, he would make a revolutionary discovery.

Only that he was not a kid and she was not his neighbor; he was a grown-up and she was his wife. Sakura knew they didn't really know each other yet, and she knew that it took a whole damn lot for him to get to entirely trust somebody, but there was just no way their relationship would ever work if he didn't at least give her a chance, if he got suspicious at her every move!

Because yes, she had noticed he became suspicious ever since this morning, when she told him about her car – she wasn't stupid, you know? She had just thought that…well, that he was smart enough not to let his impulsive self take over once again. Whatever was she going to do with him, anyway?

"Sasuke, come on," she whined as she entered his office, finding him with his back to her, facing the window, his hands bailed into fists and hidden inside his pockets.

Strangely enough, the moment she laid her eyes on him, her anger suddenly dissipated, and all that it left behind was a weird mixture of annoyance and regret that tugged uncomfortably at her heart. She didn't want to fight with him… These past few weeks had been so amazing…she didn't want to go back to their old ways; she never wanted to feel angry at him again.

Even if she did, though, it seemed like that was simply impossible. "Are we really going to fight over this? I'm even willing to ignore the fact that you lied to me and that you acted all suspicious, as if I were cheating on you or somethi – "

"And you aren't?" Sasuke hissed lowly, cutting her off, as he turned to face her, anger blazing in his onyx orbs. He was barely containing all of it, and had it not been for the fact that she knew she had done nothing wrong and that he would come to understand that as soon as he gave her a chance to explain herself, the pinkette knew she would have probably cowered under his gaze.

"Of course I'm not," she answered, shaking her head. He was interpreting things the wrong way, and if she put herself in his place, she could perfectly understand why, for she could see the way things must have looked like to an outsider, but even so, that didn't mean that having him tell her all those things didn't hurt. Because it did – and a whole damn lot, at that.

Before she could open her mouth and start giving arguments to support her plea, she saw his eyes light up with renewed anger, and she took a step back, only then realizing that that hadn't been the best thing she could have said. She should have started with the explanations straight away, not denied what seemed like the only rational thing he could grasp at this point.

But it was too late now. In a flash almost, Sasuke had crossed the room and was in front of her, still glaring at her as if his only wish were to kill her right then and there. Reaching behind her and closing the door of his office with a loud bang, he grabbed her by her upper arms and slammed her against it, so hard that she felt her breathe leave her lungs in a soft whoosh. Hissing quietly at the pain, she opened her eyes and glared right back at him, now more than ready to spout off some of her own nasty replies. That is, until she locked gazes with him and noticed all the emotions swirling in his onyx orbs.

There was anger. There was desperation. There was the slightest touch of pain. And all that came together to form something that she had recently discovered she loved about him – jealously.

Suddenly, thinking straight became impossible. His hard, well-built body was pressed against hers, keeping her securely against the rough, cold surface of the door. His hot breath was fanning against her face, his hands gripping her wrists almost painfully. The fire cracked in his eyes, making them seem like they had gained a red touch. He was out of control, like so many times before, and she knew that, in this state, he wasn't thinking – he was just acting. He could hurt her without a second thought, and only realize it when the harm was already done.

There was no fear seeping into her system this time, though. Only adrenaline…and lust. She didn't know why, but seeing him like this – so wild, so feral – made her dizzy with arousal.

As his hand moved to her neck, his husky voice demanding the explanations she apparently refused to give him, her eyes rolled closed, and he had to fight hard to keep herself from moaning softly. When she opened them again, they were glazed, their usual emerald green darkened by all the feelings that were swimming inside of her.

Although angry, Sasuke couldn't stop his body from responding to her demeanor. He would recognize that look anywhere, no matter how far gone he was – and it was enough to make him crazy with need for her. Even in these moments, he still wanted her. He always wanted her. She was addicting, just like a freaking drug – no other woman had ever made him feel like this.

"You're jealous," she whispered lowly, gazing intensely at him.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at her when he heard this, his hand involuntary tightening around her throat. "No, I'm not," he hissed through clenched teeth.

"Yes, you are," she insisted, unable to keep her emotions from showing in her breathy voice. "You're jealous and you don't have a reason to be."

Her eyes felt heavy, and all they could focus on was the man in front of her; all her surroundings had become hazy, presenting little interest to her. All she wanted right now was to grab the back of his head, to fist her hand into those silky locks of his, and pull him down for a kiss.

But fortunately, Sakura had enough sense of self-preservation to know that avoiding this subject would do nothing good to their relationship.

"The man you saw me hug…" she started, but eventually trailed off, her eyes trained on his lips. She was quick to snap out of it, though, shaking her head in an effort to clear it and to get it to focus on the matter at hand. "That man was Naruto," she began again, more confidently this time. "He's been my best friend since forever, and has recently moved back in town. He is also Hinata's boyfriend, which is why he was there, in the first place. That's all there is to this story." When she finished talking, she watched as realization slowly dawned on him, his eyes softening and his grip on her neck slackening.

Truth to be told, she had actually expected him to demand a much more detailed explanation than what she had managed to give him, since he was a control-freak like that, but it seemed like she had totally underestimated him. Just because he was impulsive and short-tempered didn't mean that he was unable to realize and admit when he was wrong. Not that he had admitted it to her – she actually doubted he would ever do that – but he had admitted it to himself, and that was all that mattered.

She had been right – she had known it all along. Now he had realized it, too. She didn't need to be raised a monument for it, nor did she need to flaunt it into his face for the rest of their lives. Although, with the anger he had ignited inside her only minutes before, that might have not been such a bad idea… But she decided she would save that for another time. Right now, she had more important matters to attend to.

As if on cue, just as she reached that conclusion, she felt Sasuke trying to pull away from her, his grip on her loosening until he let go completely. However, she refused to let him go away, and she quickly snaked her hands around his neck and fisted his dark hair, pulling his head down until their foreheads were touching.

Sasuke looked completely baffled at her actions, his eyes shining with a mixture of surprise, confusion, and regret. That was all whisked away when he heard her next words, though.

"I love it when you get like this, you know?" And, just like that, the fire inside him was ignited once again, a growl building up in his throat at the sound of her husky, lust-infused voice. "Back then, when you got mad at me because you thought I went on a date…when we fought the next day, I seriously contemplated kissing you a few times," she confessed. "Which was something I could have punched myself for at that time. But now…" she trailed off as she liked her lips, inching her head closer to his so that he could now feel her breath fanning against his lips.

All of the while, she watched his reactions carefully through half-lidded eyes, a smirk almost making its appearance on her face when she felt his hands clench into fists on either side of her head, unintentionally catching a few of her pink locks in their grip and pulling slightly on them.

Sakura just loved the effect she had on him; every time she saw his eyes darken with lust, a strange sense of accomplishment would envelop her, making her ego grow three times its size.

"Now I can do this," she continued and pressed her lips to his for a brief second, punctuating every word with a chaste kiss, "all – I – want. I can even do more. And I _love _it. You're so goddamn hot when you get jealous like that…it does the strangest things to me," she whispered huskily, squirming lightly against him as she gazed hotly into his eyes. "So just loosen up and take care of what you've started, will you?"

It was no surprise when he – literally – attacked her.

* * *

_A/N: THE CHAPTER WAS NOT PROOF-READ! I just didn't have enough time, but I'll do it tomorrow, I promise! :) _

_So, yeah. As you probably already noticed, Sasuke's paranoid and jealous…and cute. But hey, that's just the way we like him, isn't it? Love him, actually._

_And yeah, Sakura's just looking for some love. That's pretty much all she wants, even though she doesn't even realize it herself, and I'm trying really hard to convey that through my writing. And I know I'm not supposed to be telling you guys that, but I'm no qualified writer, and I need some advice from time to time, you know?_

_You can find pictures of Sakura's clothes on my profile, and…well, I guess that's it for now. I'm off to spend some more time with my family and friends!  
Once again, I wish you all happy holidays, and I hope you enjoyed my little gift. _

_P.S. Please review! I'd usually say I owe you all a cookie, but since it's Christmas… Candy canes, anybody?_


	24. Some Things Never Change

_A/N: Hello, everybody! Sorry for the long wait. I've just been really busy, and this chapter's had its kinks, too. But alas, here we are! I have some things to clear up first, though…_

_No, Sasuke doesn't know anything about Sakura's brother (or any other something she might have gone through in the past, for that matter). Except for the fact that Satoru can get quite violent, he knows next to nothing about her family. He will find out everything when the time is right. And unfortunately, at this point, only I get to know when that is! I'm evil, I know._

_Also, many of you have asked if Sakura is pregnant. Now, what would be the point if I told you straight out everything that will happen? You'll find out when it's time to find out. I know I used to give you additional information, but as many of you have probably already noticed, much of what I said would happen either hasn't, or has, but not when or how I said it would. A lot of things change when I write, so sometimes it comes as a surprise for me, too. The thing is, you've gotta wait and see what happens. Everything will have an answer in the end – you know I won't leave any detail out._

_Ohh, and remember! The girls' clothing was chosen back in chapter 19, while they were in New York. It will be posted along with the next update._

_Enjoy the chapter!_

_***** Due to the fact that FFn seems to be threatening to remove stories with content over M-rating, I have felt obligated to remove the lemon at the end :(_

* * *

_**Incomplete**  
By The Terrorist_

_**Chapter twenty-four**  
Some Things Never Change_

* * *

"Come with me," Sasuke repeated for the umpteenth time, his black eyes watching her with an expectant, yet somewhat hopeful look in them. He was leaning against his sporty car, his arms wrapped tightly around her small waist, his head bent slightly so that he could make eye-contact without her being forced to look up at him – a thing she blatantly _refused_ to do, since she knew that, one glimpse of his eyes, and she would be completely lost in those dark pools of his.

It was Saturday, May 14th – the long-awaited day for the soon-to-be Mrs. Hyuuga – and the two Uchihas were currently in the parking lot of her apartment, having one of their little _disagreements_ at seven o'clock in the morning. The night before, TenTen had taken the liberty to invite all of her girlfriends over at her old apartment, wanting to do something similar to a bachelor's party, only more reserved and discreet.

Ino, in a typical party-girl fashion, had whined about wanting to go a club and see some hunks strip, but the brunette had just laughed and brushed her idea off. The last thing she needed was to be hung-over on her wedding day, and besides, she didn't _need_ to see any hunks. She was more than content with the one she had chosen. And so, they had all gathered up within the confines of her old home, chatting animatedly and showering the bride-to-be with all kinds of gifts, until, in the early hours of morning, only their little group of five remained.

But Sasuke had been outraged at the prospect of his wife spending the night away from him. It would have been the very first time they were to be separated since they officially started a relationship, so it had taken quite a lot for Sakura to convince him to let her go. It became even worse when she realized that, no matter what she put on, he seemed to think that it was too short and that it revealed too much.

Never before had he minded when she waited for him dressed in her so-called skimpy outfits (Sakura could have sworn that he'd actually very much liked some of them), despite the fact that he must have been aware of the fact that she had also gone out on the streets like that.

She could only suppose that the whole scenario reminded him of _that_ night – of the first night out she'd had in two years, and the very first time she had seen his eyes shine with lust at the sight of her. There was no denying the fact that she had tried to somehow revive that feeling, even though she now happened to see it every time he looked at her – which, truth to be told, was more often than she desired; Sasuke was just insatiable like that, and she sometimes had a hard time keeping up with him.

It was a long time until he finally gave in and approved of her chosen outfit, consisting on a little black dress and high-heeled, open-toe pumps. He had told her it was because it didn't stick to her every curve, like her previous dresses had, but Sakura liked to believe it was because of her…methods of persuasion.

After having successfully passed this challenge, the pinkette had put on make-up, curled her hair, and chosen her accessories, while her husband lounged on the bed, watching her with an almost rapt fascination in his eyes. As soon as she was finished, he was promptly up on his feet, insisting that he should take her there, so that she wouldn't have to leave her car abandoned somewhere again, and she had agreed, of course, not wanting to part with a fight.

She knew for a fact that Sasuke had spent most of his night with his friends (she tried not to think about the fact that they might have just gone to a strip club, or something akin to that), but he was not one to sleep anywhere other than in his house, in his bed – and hers, for that matter – and since guys did not have sleepovers of any kind, she figured he must have returned home in the end, no matter how late.

Surely, all sleepy and sullen (because Sasuke was far from amiable when tired), maybe even a little bit drunk, he had been greeted by an empty house, an empty bedroom, an empty bed, with absolutely no one to cuddle with besides his pillow. It must have annoyed him beyond any limits, for sure.

That was why Sakura wasn't surprised in the least when, the following morning, she received a short text message.

She was in the kitchen, dressed casually in a white tank-top and dark blue jeans, together with her old pair of white flats, making coffee while waiting for the other girls to wake up. In the last few weeks, she had made a goal out of falling back into her old routine, and had managed to do so without any consistent amount of effort, so she was well-aware of the fact that it was way too early to barge into the room and yell for them to wake up, no matter how excited she was to start the day. She decided to wait at least until nine o'clock, and if they were still sleeping by that time, then she would indulge herself this little pleasure.

She was just settling on the couch with a hot cup of coffee and the TV running in front of her, when her phone buzzed mutedly against her thigh, alerting her that she had received a message. As soon as she flipped it open, the following words greeted her: **Downstairs. Now.** She had laughed, of course. With Sasuke, everything was short and concise – even his text messages – and although that had seemed more like an order than anything else, Sakura didn't care. She would have done as she had been told anyway, she knew.

So she promptly grabbed a cardigan that was hanging over the back of a chair (she wasn't even sure who it belonged to), and ran downstairs, practically jumping in his arms. His embrace had been fierce, almost desperate, as he had lifted her off the ground for a moment, his head buried in the crook of her neck, inhaling her scent – that sweet perfume that he had probably missed so much.

All of the while, Sakura's heart had been beating one hundred miles per minute, ready to burst out of her chest. She couldn't even find the right words to describe how much she loved the fact that he had learned how to show his affection more openly, and that, even like this, he still found a way to remain himself.

So now here she was, wrapped up in his arms, trying her hardest to avoid meeting those eyes of his, because there was just no way she could give in this time. According to her husband, she had spent more than enough time with the girls, and now it was his turn to have her – even if for a little while. It didn't matter that he was expected back at Neji's place, nor did it matter that they would see each other again in just a few hours. He wanted her next to him and he wanted it now. Everybody knew better than to refuse him something when he was so obviously yearning – _needing_ – it so badly. Everybody but Sakura.

Don't get me wrong, she would like nothing more than to give in to his request and let him take her away. She loved her friends and she wanted to share this special day with TenTen, but she wanted to be with her husband even more, and there was no denying it. Sasuke probably felt the same, so it was a good thing that one of them had the capacity of thinking with their heads, not with their hearts…or lower regions.

"Sasuke, stop it," she firmly said, placing a hand on his chest as she finally looked up into his eyes, a solemn expression on her face. "I cannot come with you and you _know_ it."

"Why not?" The tone he had used was dangerously close to a whine, and the pinkette found herself rolling her eyes.

"You know _exactly_ why, Sasuke," she told him. "And I know you don't like it. I don't like parts of it, either. But you can't just hide away from the rest of the world whenever you feel like it."

The Uchiha frowned upon hearing that, the true message her words conveyed seeming to have not reached his ears. "I'm not asking you to hide away from the world. I – "

"Geez, I know that," she snapped, causing him to glare lightly at her. But he looked more hurt than upset, and although Sakura knew that was just a façade (she had learned that her husband could be quite a master of manipulation when the time called for it), she couldn't help but melt into his arms once again. It was already hard enough for her to rest him – and he wasn't making her job any easier. "Look, I can't just leave right now. And I'm sure you can manage a few more hours without me."

"Of course I can manage," he scoffed, and for a moment, Sakura got the impression that he finally understood what she had been trying to tell him. "I just don't want to." Then she realized she had been wrong.

She sighed. "Sasuke…I'm not exactly happy with the idea, either. I've missed you, too, you know?" she murmured as she cupped his face within her hands, gazing into his eyes. "But it's only for a few hours. Then I'm back by your side, I promise."

"You promise?" The almost child-like innocence his voice was laced with almost made her laugh, but since she knew he wouldn't appreciate that, she settled for a soft, genuine smile. He may not love her yet, but it was obvious he needed her presence more than he had ever needed anybody – or anything – else, and that knowledge made Sakura's body warm and fuzzy all over.

"I promise," she vowed, before sealing their deal with a light kiss. "Just a few more hours, and I'll be yours to do as you wish with me."

~•~

Back inside the apartment, the girls were finally up and ready to face the day. They were shuffling around, dressed in comfortable clothes, talking about insignificant things while drinking the coffee that Sakura had made earlier. Ino had already dumped the contents of her very roomy bag on the table in the dining room, cluttering its surface with every type of make-up product known to mankind.

The blonde was just in the middle of her rambling about how she was going to do the bride's hair, when the door of the apartment opened and a certain pinkette slipped inside, careful not to make much noise, as she could not be certain that her girlfriends had woken up.

"Ohh, look who decided to join us!" Temari exclaimed, smirking slightly, as soon as said person entered the living room.

Sakura raised a playful eyebrow, her hands coming to rest on her hips. "You're one to talk," she countered, an amused edge to her voice.

"Oh, riiight. You woke up earlier than us. Big deal! As if you don't do that every day!" she scoffed, childishly sticking her tongue out at her.

"Well, at least she did it with a purpose this time," TenTen quipped, grinning lightly in her cup.

It didn't take long for Sakura to catch on. "You girls _spied_ on me?" she asked incredulously, her mouth agape.

"We _so_ didn't, darling," Temari interfered, waving her hand in the air in a gesture of dismissal. "It's not our fault that the first thing we noticed when we woke up was the shiny black car that was parked in the driveway of this small apartment complex!"

"And a girl with a very familiar pink mane making out with somebody right on its hood," Ino supplied helpfully as she entered the room, Sakura's abandoned mug of coffee in her hands. "You're such a little bitch, Sakura!" she exclaimed in a disapproving tone, glaring lightly at her.

"Me?" the pinkette asked, flabbergasted, as she pointed to herself. "You're drinking my coffee and I'm the bitch?"

"Totally!" she answered without hesitation. "I mean, who _does_ that? This is supposed to be girl-time!"

Sakura blinked. "And?" she asked expectantly.

"And your husband is _so_ not a girl!"

"Girls, come on," TenTen interfered, "Leave her alone. They've just gotten together – of course they're going at it like rabbits."

"I very much doubt that's called helping me, TenTen," the pinkette said pointedly.

TenTen rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Sak. I was just saying… I mean, it's obvious you guys are like freaking leeches right now, all inseparable and stuff."

"More like he's the leech," Ino noted. "A very hot leech, but one that's clingy, nonetheless."

"I like him just the way he is, thank you very much," Sakura announced with a slight roll of her eyes, just a little bit disgusted by the comparison her friends had deemed right. Taking her cardigan off, she placed it on the same chair where she had taken it from, still not knowing who it belonged to, but not really caring, even now.

"I bet you do," the bride-to-be commented in a suggestive, know-it-all voice.

Sakura rolled her eyes once more. "Have you girls like, watched us make out? Really?" she asked, half-curious, half-distressed, as she walked further into the room and took a seat on the couch, next to the ever-quiet Hinata. The girl was the only one who hadn't attacked her yet, and although she seemed amused, her eyes were fixed on a magazine on her lap.

The pinkette couldn't even find the right words to describe just how thankful she was for that.

"No," Ino answered, a slight pout on her face, as she took a sip of her coffee. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I _wanted_ to. But Hinata told me that would be sick…so I didn't."

"Thank you, Hinata," Sakura told her sincerely, breathing out a small sigh of relief.

The girl simply offered a smile and shrugged. "Anytime," she said, and by the evil glint in her lavender eyes, Sakura could tell that she very much liked the reaction Ino must have had.

"Anyhow," said blonde butted in once more, stressing out the word in an effort to gain her friend's attention, "I've seen enough to realize that you, my darling, have him eating right out of your palm."

Sakura shook her head. "It's not like that, girls."

"Oh please!" Ino scoffed, rolling her eyes. "I've always told you girls: whoever has the pussy, that's who leads, no matter the circumstances. You're the living proof of that." She paused for a moment, seeming to be contemplating something, before adding in a light tone, "I just hope you guys are using condoms."

Green eyes widened considerably at her words, and their owner almost chocked – with what, she didn't know. "How the heck did we even end up taking about this?" she inquired, trying to discreetly steer the conversation away from this – particularly uncomfortable – subject. "This was supposed to be about TenTen, right? I mean, she's the bride, not me."

"Don't try to change the subject, honey," Temari advised, and had the circumstances been any different, Sakura might have catalogued her tone as 'friendly'.

"Yeah!" Ino backed her up, sounding quite upset at her attempt to cut her happiness short. "I mean, duuh! As if he wasn't more than ready to take you right on the hood of that shiny car of his!"

Slipping further into the soft, plush couch, Sakura closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying her hardest to keep her temper in check. Lately, she had developed a habit of snapping ruthlessly at whoever annoyed her, or made her the slightest bit uncomfortable, and she was not in the mood for a fight right now. Besides, curiosity was human nature; their need to talk about this was justified.

"You girls are just…" she trailed off for a second, searching for the right word, "…unbelievable."

"I know, right?" Ino squealed, as if she had just received the compliment she had been waiting for all her life. "But don't give us too much credit – it's not _that_ hard to notice. I mean, you're fucking glowing! And to think that, only a month or so ago, you refused to even be in the same room as him, let alone _have sex_ with him!"

Sakura slapped a hand on her forehead. "Shut up, Ino," she muttered tersely.

"I'm just saying." She shrugged. "And again, I hope you're using protection. Because, really, with the amount of 'couplings' you guys have, it won't be long until another Uchiha pops out. And I'm not sure that would be very convenient right now, you know?"

"Jesus," the pinkette breathed out, her eyes closed, earning a couple of laughs from her friends.

Thankfully, TenTen choose that moment to remind them all of the purpose of this special morning. "Excuse me, kind ladies, if you could just leave our dear, pink friend the heck alone, because _I'm _supposed to be the center of attention today!" she exclaimed, and Sakura sent a quick 'thank you' to whoever was up there, watching over her.

"Happily!" Ino exclaimed, clapping her hands and jumping up and down excitedly, before squealing loudly. "I can't believe my little Drama Queen is getting married!"

"Well, believe it," Sakura told her, a slight hint of exhaustion (mixed with overwhelming relief) resounding in her voice, as she stood up from her seat.

Hinata laughed lightly. "That was _so_ Naruto," she told her, smiling fondly at the mention of her boyfriend.

"Tell me about it," the pinkette muttered playfully, shaking her head. "He's rubbing off on me again, that little brat. What do we have here?" She paused, stopping dead in her tracks as she reached the dining room table, her green eyes scanning its cluttered surface. "Oh my God, it's like I'm in heaven…"

"You like make-up?" TenTen asked curiously, caught off guard by her breathy confession.

Sakura scoffed lightly. "Are you kidding?" she asked. "I _love_ make-up! What kind of girl doesn't?"

"Well, sorry," TenTen replied scathingly, rolling her eyes. "It's just that, your eyes lit up like a kid's on Christmas!"

"Yeah," Temari confirmed with a slight nod. "And besides, most of us don't even know how to use half of the stuff in there, Sakura."

The pinkette cocked her head to the side upon hearing that, exchanging a meaningful look with Ino, who looked just as confused as she did. "Seriously?" she asked, albeit a little bit hesitantly.

Temari blinked and remained quiet for a moment more, before bursting into giggles. "Man, you're a creative little bitch, aren't ya?"

"Well," Sakura started, drawing out the word, as she turned back to the table, "when you have no friends, no job, no husband, and basically nothing better to do, you kind of learn to entertain yourself by other means. Like doing your make-up, for example."

TenTen rolled her eyes. "Yeah, and other kinds of stuff that come naturally to you," she supplied sarcastically.

"I must say," the pinkette said with a weary sigh, a hint of sarcasm in her voice, "I appreciate how much you all believe in me and my so-called special talents."

Her brunette friend glared at her. "Keep being sarcastic like that, and we'll see how laughs last," she snapped and plopped down on a chair, preparing to ignore her for the rest of the day, because that was what she deserved for being a blind little bitch, but then thought better of it, and her entire face brightened. "You know, just to show you how much I actually trust your abilities – and to give you a much-needed confidence boost – I'm gonna let you go my make-up," she announced, smirking as shock displayed itself on Sakura's features. "Now, just what do have to say about that?"

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea," Sakura told her, watching her warily.

"Well, I am," the brunette said with an air of finality around it, immediately cutting her off when she tried to speak again. "Remember, you're not allowed to deny me anything today."

"Hey!" Ino complained, a mock-pout plastered to her face. "But what about me?"

"You can do my hair," TenTen replied simply.

Hinata rolled her eyes in a playful manner, sharing a subtle smile with Temari. "Doesn't she love being the center of attention?"

That blonde shook her head in amusement, before yelling out her friend's name in an effort to get her attention. "Hey, TenTen! What about us?"

"Don't be so aggressive, honey," TenTen mocked, flipping her long hair over her shoulder. "I'll find work for both of you soon." Then she turned back to Sakura, motioning for her to step closer. "Now, come here and do your thing. Nothing too over the top, alright? Just make me look gorgeous." She paused for a moment, before correcting herself, "That didn't come out right. _Bring out _my _gorgeousness!_"

Sakura rolled her eyes and smiled at her so-called modesty, but did as she was told, regardless of her beliefs and personal opinions. TenTen was right – this was not the day to disagree or deny her something, and in any case, she could always just remove Sakura's little experiment from her face and let true professionals – like Ino, who actually attended a prestigious make-up school – do their job.

They had more than enough time on their hands, and for that, she was thankful.

She started with her everyday foundation routine, making sure to throw in a good make-up base, because if TenTen turned out to be crazy enough to like what she was about to do to her, it should have the capacity to last the entire day. All of the while, she continued to chat with the girls, feeling surprisingly comfortable with her task, despite the pressure and responsibility that was resting on her shoulders.

"Brown?" she inquired quietly, finding the task of deciding on a particular range of colors quite difficult. She thought that brown would bring out TenTen's eyes and complement her dress nicely, but she figured she should ask for her approval.

The brunette, however, seemed more than happy to let everything in her capable hands. "I don't care. You choose."

With a sigh and a small shrug, Sakura got down to business.

"So, you never really told us last night…what about your honeymoon?" Temari asked while in the midst of her own foundation routine.

TenTen sighed. "Well, technically, it's not the _real_ honeymoon," she answered and tried to open her eyes, but Sakura clicked her tongue disapprovingly.

"How about you try to talk with your eyes closed?" she suggested in a none-too-friendly tone.

"Pfft, whatever," the brunette scoffed. "As I was saying, it's not the honeymoon, honeymoon. Things are busy at the company, so Neji suggested we should only leave for a few days – not even a whole week."

"You actually expected your honeymoon to last longer?" Ino asked, in an uncharacteristic display of surprise and maturity. "I mean, no offense, but your fiancé is a really busy man, and I'm sure you were well-aware of that when you accepted that pretty ring on your finger."

"I know that!" TenTen exclaimed, her voice dangerously close to a whine. "It's just that…I really love this guy, you know? And it's been so long since we last got the chance to just…be together. Alone, with no interruptions whatsoever. And no, I'm not talking about sex," she said, knowing that it wouldn't take long for her friends to make such a remark. "I'm talking about the other kind of intimacy. With these hectic wedding preparations…" She sighed. "It's been such a crazy month… So yeah, of course I want my honeymoon to last as long as possible!"

"And you agreed to have him take you…where?" Temari prompted, curiosity lacing her voice.

"Paris," the bride replied simply.

"Right," she answered dryly. "For just a few days?"

TenTen nodded. "Five, to be more exact. And in return, he promised to take me to the Maldives for an entire month this winter. Trust me, that's a lot of compromise from his part, 'cause he totally hates the sun!"

"That's really sweet," Sakura remarked as she applied a dark shade of brown to her eyelids.

"No, it's not," the brunette denied, resisting the urge to shake her head.

"Yes, it is," Hinata interfered.

TenTen gasped dramatically. "No way!" she exclaimed. "It _would_ have been sweet. That, if he'd taken me now."

Sakura raised a delicate, pink eyebrow. "I suppose now it's just worth it, right?"

"Absolutely," she said, nodding slightly.

"And I agree," Ino chimed in, the iron curler buried in her blonde mane.

"You're such bitches, you know that?" Sakura told them, shaking her head disapprovingly. "You don't know how to appreciate a thing, really."

"Oh, yeah? Well sorry, little Drama Queen, but not all of us have our husbands – or even boyfriends – waiting on us hand and foot," the blonde replied acidly, rolling her eyes.

"That would make _me_ the ungrateful one, Ino," she pointed out. "And besides, Sasuke does not wait hand and foot on me. He's just…"

"Clingy," Temari supplied in what she hoped to be a helpful manner.

Sakura waved her off, making a small sound of annoyance. "He is _not_ clingy!" she defended him. "He's just…really sweet."

"Did he tell you he missed you?" Ino asked, all traces of annoyance gone from her voice, replaced with curiosity.

The pinkette hesitated a little before answering, not quite sure if it was alright to talk so openly about their relationship, but quickly made up her mind. "Not in such an outright manner, but…well, I know how to read him by now," she confessed, smiling fondly.

"Aww, damn!" her blonde friend swore, pouting childishly. "I really need to get myself a boyfriend!"

Sakura couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, so that was it! All along, you were jealous!"

"Of course I was!" Ino exclaimed, rolling her eyes in a way that made her friend think that her observation had been downright stupid. "I'd very much like a man like that, you know? A hunk that would miss me after only a night spent away from him… Honestly, who the heck _wouldn't_ want that?"

The pinkette simply shook her head upon hearing that, a small smile on her face, but decided to say nothing more.

She finished TenTen's make-up relatively quickly, for this kind of things really didn't take her long anymore. As stated in the beginning, she had gone for a palette of browns, and topped it off with black eyeliner and black mascara, plus a rose-colored lipstick – which she left to the bride's aid, knowing that she would need it again soon.

Although she refused to admit it, deep inside, she had known all along that TenTen would like it; there was nothing _not_ to like about it, because her technique had improved so much over the years, that it was now near perfect, so it would be a stretch to say that she had been nervous. But when her friend squealed and thanked her like a madwoman, Sakura felt happy and pleased with herself for the result.

Ino, having stood aside and played with the curling iron in the meantime, immediately jumped out of her chair and flew to TenTen's side, more than a little eager to work her magic on her hair.

Sakura saw this as her cue to turn her attention back towards herself, and started to do her own-make up, simply playing with the colors at first, as she wasn't quite sure what to choose. Although she had a pretty impressive collection back at home, it was nowhere near close to Ino's, and admittedly, when it came to her own green eyes, she was a little bit intimidated.

Eventually, she ended up going for a more discrete look. She believed she looked amazing with dark eye-shadow on, because it brought her eyes out like nothing else, but it really wasn't like her to wear such intense make-up on a daily basis, and even though she was preparing to go to a wedding, she figured she should keep it more daily-like (at least for her own comfort).

Unlike her friends, she decided to get dressed before doing her hair, because she had a tendency of ruining it otherwise. The dark-red dress looked beautiful on her, and when paired with the matching shoes, made for a perfect outfit. Debating quickly between a stylish up-do and a more normal, every-day approach, she curled her hair slightly at the ends, pulling it away from her face and securing it at the back with a few discreet hairpins, but otherwise letting it flow down her back and shoulders in soft curls.

Of course, she was ready before any of the girls were even close to finishing. It was only when she had nothing else to do (other than stare out the window) and no desire to engross herself in another one of those long, tedious conversations her friends were capable of having, that she realized just how much she missed her husband's reassuring presence.

~•~

Sasuke stood on the patio of the Hyuuga manor, leaning against the wall in a brooding manner as he watched, with boredom plastered all over his figure, the ever-growing crowd gathering in the backyard.

Neji's family had insisted that they should have the entire wedding at the mansion, not just the reception, and although TenTen had whined about wanting to get married in a church, like tradition said, she had eventually given in, probably knowing that she had no chance of winning against these people. Sasuke couldn't care less about that, though. He didn't know why he even remembered it, why he had bothered to make speculations and reach his own conclusions. He must be really bored… And, truth to be told, at this point, he would do _anything_ to keep his mind off his pink-haired wife.

When he had let her go the night before, after having reluctantly approved of her chosen outfit and tried to distract and delay her in every way possible, he had never thought, not even for a second, that he would miss her so damn much! He had arranged to go out with the guys, and although he had never taken part in their stupid games and sometimes childish discussions, he had been sure that they would somehow find a way to distract him, just like they had always managed to do. Only that…it didn't happen. Not this time.

Throughout the entire evening, his mind had been constantly searching for an opportunity to go back to Sakura. Every single little thing seemed to remind him of her, and it was only then that Sasuke realized just how much control she had gained over his life, how successfully she had filled every corner that had once been empty.

Sleeping without her the night before had been pure, unadulterated torture. That statement both felt and sounded weird (it actually even scared him a little), but there was no point in refusing to acknowledge it. Before she came into his life, he used to like sleeping alone; hell, he used to hate sharing the bed with another person! But that night, something inside him had clenched painfully when he arrived home and begrudgingly made his way to his old room…alone.

Usually, he would carry her upstairs, or take her right there in the foyer, drag her to the living room or to any other place where he could have his way with her. No matter what, no matter where, no matter how, her warm body would be clinging to him and her soft perfume invading his senses. It had been nearly impossible to fight off the flood of memories that invaded his mind as soon as he stepped inside the house, and that was, in his opinion, the stupidest thing ever – it was as if he hadn't seen her in months, when all that separated them was a few hours.

Even after he took a cold, relaxing shower, put on a pair of sweatpants, and then climbed into his neatly-made bed, with crisply clean sheets and soft-smelling pillows, he realized, with great disdain, that he just couldn't close his goddamn eyes, no matter how utterly exhausted he felt. For a long while, he kept tossing and turning, trying to find a comfortable position, but it was all in vain. There was something missing – a small, slender body, with warm and soft skin, wasn't there to plaster itself to his side. No arms were there to wrap around him, and no silky hair to tickle him as the owner's head lied comfortably on his chest.

He'd be damned if, under such circumstances, he'd had more than three hours of sleep.

Letting out a soft sigh, the Uchiha slumped further against the wall and ran a hand through his spiky hair, closing his eyes for a brief second, before reopening them and resuming his task of uninterestedly watching the crowd gathering in the Hyuuga's monstrous backyard.

Frankly, he just wanted to get it all over with. There was no surprise that he hated any kind of social event, because they required time, patience, and lots of communication, and the fact that this was his best friend's wedding didn't make any difference. Don't get me wrong, he was happy for him. TenTen was a nice girl – a little noisy and annoying, but then again, all women were like that – and he really did love her, so Sasuke knew, without a trace of doubt, that they would be happy together. But now, more than ever, he just wasn't in the mood for this.

Small hands sliding up his back and onto his shoulders snapped him out of his thoughts, and he immediately straightened, a slight frown making its appearance on his features. Had he not recognized the soft perfume that reached his senses only a moment later, he would have bristled and snapped – really badly – at whomever was that dared to touch him, but even so, he didn't have time to say a thing.

Soft, familiar lips were pressed against his almost immediately, and he _might_ have sighed in relief as his hands automatically came up to cup her face, every fiber of his being relaxing as he felt her slender body melding against his once more, after what seemed like a million years apart. The pinkette smiled softly against his lips, delighted with his reaction, but refused to allow him to turn this into a full make-up session; she pulled away after only a moment, her own hands coming to rest on top of his as she pressed their foreheads together and looked at him in the eye.

"Hey," she murmured softly, practically beaming at finally being reunited with him. She had miserably failed to realize the intensity of this sentiment, of her heart yearning for him, until now, when she felt what she had been missing all along – felt his lips on hers, the warmth that radiated from his body, the texture of his rough, yet still somewhat soft, hands gliding over her figure, burning through her dress as they slowly, almost torturously found their way to her hips, where his strong arms instantly wound around her small waist.

Sasuke didn't answer, didn't even bother to grunt, choosing instead to simply watch her quietly, with a fondness and adoration in his black eyes that nearly took her breath away. He looked like a dying man in the desert who had just found an oasis, and one second was all that Sakura needed in order to realize that her husband wasn't just being childish for the sake of it – he had truly missed her.

And he had. It was hard to come to terms with it, and even harder to acknowledge it, but he had, and there was no denying it anymore.

She looked stunning in the dark-red dress that adorned her small, lithe figure, accentuating her cleavage, but pretty much leaving the rest to the imagination. Her long, pink hair was pulled back from her face, the unruly bangs that usually fell into her eyes carefully styled so that they wouldn't bother her. The multifaceted strands of pink and coral, the roots darkening to a more natural red, fell down her shoulders in soft, natural-looking curls, shining beautifully in the sunlight.

Unconsciously, one of his hands detached itself from her waist and reached out to wrap around a curly lock, wonder showing clearly in his eyes upon the realization that they felt just as soft as they looked.

Her lips were pink and shiny, even though Sasuke knew he must have probably wiped some of her lip-gloss himself, but her make-up was as intense as he had expected. It looked sophisticated and beautiful, shades of silver mixing with grey and black, and it brought out her eyes beautifully.

And she was smiling at him, practically glowing, radiating in the sunlight that shined from behind her.

"Missed me much?" she teased lightly as noticed his expression, titling her head to the side sweetly. "I, for one, have to say I'd forgotten how good you look in a tux," she declared, moving her hands so that they were now gripping the collar of his shirt, pulling lightly on it.

Sasuke took his sweet time in answering, still studying her as if she were something out of this world. "Why are you here?" he eventually spoke, looking into her eyes. "Aren't you supposed to be with your friends?" He hadn't meant it as an allusion to what she had done to him that morning, but Sakura rolled her eyes, anyway.

"Technically, yes," she replied. "I just thought my husband would appreciate it if I came to see him, even if for a little while. But if he doesn't – "

She was cut off before she could continue, a pair of lips she knew all too well landing on hers, the owner's arms tugging her even closer to his body. She automatically smiled, almost giggled at his fast reaction, but immediately responded by wrapping her arms around his neck and deepening the kiss.

They pulled apart only when their lungs were burning for oxygen, completely oblivious to the world around them. Sakura smiled softly as she discreetly wiped the lip-gloss off his lips, trying not to giggle at his disturbed expression; he didn't make any move to stop her, though, not even when she leaned in and pecked his lips again, her hands cupping his face.

"Sakura?" a deep voice from behind them broke through their little bubble, pulling them apart once more.

Sasuke watched curiously as Sakura's green eyes widened, the gasp that left her lips reaching his ears just before she whipped around, forcing him to release her from his arms' hold.

It was only when she was with her back to him that he finally snapped out of his daze and bothered to glace at the intruder. He was tall, about his height, dressed in a formal black suit – pretty much like all the other men present at the wedding. He had messy brown hair and sharp black eyes, sporting a huge grin at the sight of – Sasuke could only suppose – his pink-haired wife.

Running quickly through his memory, efficiently searching every corner, Sasuke was quite surprised to find out that he had never seen the man before.

"Oh my God, Kiba?" Sakura, on the other hand, was another story.

The next few seconds were like a blur to him. One minute, she was standing right in front of him, and the next thing he knew, she was attached to this guy's neck. Almost instantly, his arms came to wrap around her waist, and Sasuke was barely able to contain the snarl that wanted to escape his lips at the sight of someone else touching his woman. He could vaguely make out a voice in the back of his head that told him that something like this had happened before, that he had reacted like a stupid idiot, and that he should be able to control himself this time, but that was hardly the problem in this situation.

The first time he had witnessed such a scene, the first time he had seen her hug someone else, the feeling triggered inside him had been jealousy – pure, unadulterated, raging jealousy. This time, he felt more confused than anything else. He was frozen, unable – and unknowing how – to react. Few things registered into this mind and this point, and all of them came down to one main word: dislike.

He didn't like the way he looked at her. He didn't like the way his eyes had lit up when they'd spotted her, the way he'd greeted her, the way he'd hugged her. Everything about their behavior towards each other screamed familiarity, and he hated it. It had taken him two whole years to open up to her, and this guy came strolling into her life and began to act like he had known her forever, like they had shared everything together, like they knew all of each other's secrets. To say that that annoyed him would be an understatement.

His body tensed, the dragon inside him coiled and ready to lash out, his hands fisted and buried in his pockets, his jaw clenched tightly, Sasuke watched a reunion of some sorts take place in front of him.

"Where have you been all this time? How's Akamaru?"

"Oh, just traveling around. I've attended college in Europe for a while, but then I started missing this place, so I decided to transfer and come back home. And Akamaru's perfectly fine. He's been with me all along, and he hasn't changed much since the last time you saw him. Although…he certainly _has_ grown."

"Now I can't help but imagine a white, furry monster!"

"That's pretty accurate, actually."

It was a while until they finally separated and turned their attention back to the world around them. Smiling, Sakura took her friend's hand and led him to her now scowling husband.

"Kiba, this is Sasuke." She refused to let go of his hand as she introduced them, and that only served to provoke the dragon inside him even more, but she did turn her head to smile at him, a smile so beautiful and proud that it almost took all of his worries away. "My husband."

"Husband?" Kiba asked, surprised. "You're married?"

"Yup. Been so for the last three years almost," she answered with a nod. "And Sasuke, this is Kiba, an old friend of mine."

"Hn," the Uchiha grunted absentmindedly as he shook his extended hand, making sure to apply a little more pressure than necessary. This Kiba guy could very well be someone like the infamous Naruto, a good friend and nothing more, but if things came down to it, Sasuke had to be ready to fight for what was his, right? "You do seem to be quite familiar with one another."

The second part of his answer came out harsher than intended, and that was confirmed to him when Sakura threw him a hard, meaningful look over her shoulder. The Uchiha glared back lightly, discreetly, as if to warn her not to push him, because that was who he was and there was nothing she could do to change him, but he somehow ended up giving in as her stare hardened, a soft sigh escaping his lips.

Her so-called 'old friend', however, remained oblivious to the exchange. "Well, yeah," he said, rubbing the back of his head while smiling sheepishly – and way too cheerfully for Sasuke's mood and taste. "Me and Sakura go a long way back."

The Uchiha raised an eyebrow upon hearing that, half-intrigued, half-annoyed with this whole charade. "Is that so?" he asked, making a conscious effort to unclench his jaw so that he wouldn't hiss out the words.

"Yes." It was his wife who answered him this time, and he snapped his head down to look at her. She stared back at him, obviously uncomfortable with this subject, but didn't hesitate at all before clearing things up. "He was my boyfriend, back in high-school."

There was something about the nonchalance she spoke with, as if she were totally detached, as if it were no big deal to point out her old boyfriends to her husband, something that made his blood boil.

Thankfully, the pinkette had enough sense of self-preservation to realize that he wasn't exactly pleased with her approach, so she smoothly eased herself under his right arm and melded her body to his side in a gesture of unspoken reassurance. Kiba had always been a cheerful, open person, so it was obvious he had meant no harm through his statement; the only problem was, he couldn't have known that her husband was a jealous prick who liked to cause a scene every time he saw her talking to a random guy, not to mention to an old boyfriend.

The Uchiha looked down at her, an eyebrow raised, his temper obviously flaring, but kept in check with an iron hand. No emotion was shown on his features, but Sakura knew him well enough to understand that, underneath that façade, his emotions were raging. One wrong step, and he would snap – and _that_ wouldn't turn out nice at all.

"Boyfriend?" he inquired with a fake touch of curiosity, his husky voice much too calm and pleasant to be true.

"Yes," she answered as steadily as she could, swallowing heavily as she watched all the emotions that were swirling in his black eyes. "My boyfriend," she confirmed.

A long moment passed, in which Sasuke continued to hold her gaze, angry and unwavering, until she finally couldn't take it anymore and averted her gaze elsewhere.

"I…I think I'd better leave now," she announced, rubbing the back of her neck in an obvious display of discomfort – yet another gesture she must have picked up from Naruto. "TenTen must need me. It was nice seeing you again, Kiba." She gave her friend a small smile, then turned back to Sasuke and, standing on her tiptoes, hesitantly pecked his lips.

Whether it was because he didn't have time, or because he had no intention to, her husband didn't respond to the kiss.

Unwilling to wait for him to react in any way, she turned on her heels and, without sparing him another glance, headed back to the mansion. As soon as she stepped inside, she unconsciously let out a soft sigh of relief, one of her hands coming up to rest against her erratically beating heart. As hot as Sasuke might be when jealous, things could also get pretty nasty when he was in such a state, and although leaving him with Kiba probably hadn't been the best option, Sakura was as sure as heck that staying there, drawing it out, and provoking him even further would have turned out ten times worse.

~•~

Because of that incident, the pinkette decided to keep away from her husband for as long as possible. That was a pretty easy task to accomplish, considering that, as her bridesmaid, she was supposed to remain by TenTen's side during the ceremony, while as his best man, Sasuke stood next to Neji.

Of course, that didn't mean she couldn't _feel_ his gaze burning holes through her throughout the entire process, but Sakura tried her hardest to ignore his childish fits and just enjoy the moment. She was truly happy for her friend, had been next to her every step of the way in planning this wedding, and she wouldn't allow him to ruin this for her.

TenTen was glowing, practically radiating with happiness. She looked gorgeous in her white dress, even more beautiful than the last time she had modeled it for them, and when the priest finally proclaimed them husband and wife, Sakura could have sworn she had never seen so much happiness shining in somebody's eyes.

She was the first to congratulate her, beating even Ino in her enthusiasm. Who would have guessed that she, of all the people, would grow to like weddings so much? But it seemed like the change in hers and Sasuke's relationship could be felt in every aspect of her life.

Speaking of Mr. Broody, he was less than happy with the formalities, and as soon as his wife finished congratulating the newlyweds, she found herself being pulled aside by the arm – not roughly, but not too gently, either. She paid no attention to the action, knowing perfectly who it was, and simply continued to smile at the sight displayed in front of her.

Believe it or not, the scene actually reminded her of her own wedding, and the fake smile she had been forced to wear in order to keep up the appearances. It had been hard, especially considering the fact that all she wanted to do at that point was lock up in a room and cry herself to sleep. Which she promptly did, but only after having been dropped off at the mansion she had later learned to call home; it had been merely a stranger to her back then, though.

"Are you going to tell me what's up with you and that guy, or are you going to keep hiding from me?" a soft growl from beside her brought her back from her thoughts, and the pinkette frowned, turning her head briefly to throw her husband a puzzled look.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked as she redirected her eyes towards TenTen and her new husband. Everybody was watching the pair, as it was only normal, and Sakura really didn't want to cause a scene by quarreling with her husband in the midst of it all. Which was a thing that he seemed to be more than willing to do. "I told you who he was and why we knew each other. That's all there is to this story."

"Bullshit!" he snapped, and she winced, because he had done so right in her ear. Although it certainly didn't seem like it, Sasuke, too, was trying to keep it on the down low, but with his temper, it didn't seem to have the potential of working. "He acts like he's known you forever!"

"Well, he hasn't known me forever, but since he used to be my boyfriend, I guess he _does_ know me pretty well, don't you think?" she replied steadily.

"But – " Sasuke tried to protest, but his wife interrupted him with a soft hiss, suddenly turning to face him.

The space around them had cleared, and the guests were slowly making their way to the other side of the yard, where the tables were set and the reception would be held.

"Look, Sasuke, there is nothing going on between the two of us at this point. He used to be my boyfriend, and if you really want to hear it, then find out that yes, I _did_ care about him – and a lot, at that. But right now, he's just my ex-boyfriend – a nice guy who remained friends with me over the years and who has a nice dog which I love. That's it!"

After hearing this, Sasuke nonchalantly pushed his hands in his pockets, looking down at the ground as he frowned lightly. "…I can buy you a dog," he finally offered, shrugging lightly.

Rolling her eyes, the pinkette let an exasperated sigh push past her lips. "I'm going to the bathroom for a moment," she announced, not even wanting to touch that subject.

Her husband opened his mouth to object, but she simply raised her hands in the air and pushed past him, making her way back towards the mansion.

~•~

A few minutes later, Sakura found herself in one of the bathrooms located at the top floor of the house, wearily staring at her reflection in the mirror.

Running a hand through her pink hair, careful not to mess it up too much, she sighed once more and took a seat on the padded chair behind her, bending down to massage her ankles lightly. Having stood up throughout the entire ceremony, her feet hurt like crazy, and as if that weren't enough, Sasuke's jealousy was exhausting, practically sucking the energy out of her.

Funny, how she had thought that they would have the utmost fun at the wedding, kissing and cuddling in front of everybody, like she had always wanted. Turns out, there wasn't the slightest chance for such things to happen. And suddenly, Sakura wished she could get this over with as soon as possible.

With yet another sigh, she straightened her back and stood up, her hips leaning against the counter as she mechanically checked her make-up and arranged her most rebel locks of hair, knowing that she couldn't keep away from the party for much longer. She was just about to pull out her lip-gloss from her purse and reapply it, when the door suddenly opened behind her, making her gasp and jump lightly.

More shocked than surprised, she quickly spun around, only to come face to face with the person she least wanted to see in that moment.

"Sasuke," she hissed, annoyance showing clearly in her eyes. She had no idea how he had managed to find her, and what bothered her the most wasn't the fact that he had done so, but rather the reasons he kept hidden behind this action. He was not used to not always having the last word, and it seemed like he wanted to do everything in his power for that not to happen. "What the hell are you doing in here?"

He paid no mind to her question as he closed the door behind him and silently locked it, the look on his face resembling one of a predator as he began to make his way towards her. Sakura watched him with confused emerald orbs, every trace of annoyance gone, a small frown adorning her features as she leaned against the counter behind her, trying to decipher what was behind that emotionless façade of his.

Taking a few steps to meet him halfway, she opened her mouth to voice her questions, but didn't get a chance to do so, as he had slashed his lips upon hers before she could get a single sound out. The tiny squeak that escaped her at his sudden action was lost, completely ignored by her husband, and his tongue forcefully pushed past her lips, his hands cupping her face, twisting in her hair, leaving her no way out.

Although more than a little confused, it was simply impossible for Sakura not to melt in a puddle of hot chocolate at his feet. Instantly relaxing her once tense muscles, she raised her hands and set them on his chest, fisting the soft material of his shirt as he continued to kiss her.

When it was clear that oxygen was a necessity, they broke apart, but he refused to let go of her, instead letting his lips travel along her jaw and down her neck; all of the while, Sakura was panting heavily, her eyes only half-opened as she dizzily held onto him. Slowly, his hands sensually moved from her face down her shoulders and back, leaving a burning hot trail behind them.

Sucking harshly on her pulse point, making her shudder and moan softly, Sasuke took advantage of her dizziness and obvious state of arousal, and as he claimed her mouth for yet another passionate kiss, forcefully led her backwards until her back the counter. Breaking the kiss, he quickly grabbed a hold of her thighs and easily hoisted her up on the hard surface, making her squeal lightly.

He wasted no second in attacking her neck again, but as soon as she felt the coldness of the counter against the skin of her thighs, Sakura had snapped out of her daze and was now painfully aware of where this would lead if she didn't put an end to it soon.

"Sasuke," she breathed out, her hands pulling lightly on his hair in an effort to get his lips to detach from her neck. "Sasuke, stop!" It took every ounce of her self-control to pull away from him, but she managed to unwrap her arms from around his neck and lean backwards enough for him to get the message.

The Uchiha looked up at her when he finally understood the purpose of her actions, his expression resembling that of a confused, angry cat that had just been woken up from its nap.

Sakura almost groaned out loud upon realizing that he wasn't seeing anything wrong in his actions. "Are you insane?" she asked, her hands coming to rest on either side of his face, and steadily held his gaze in an effort to be more persuasive. "We cannot do this right now, Sasuke."

He arched an eyebrow, demanding for explanations. "Why not?"

"Because we're at out best friends' wedding, that's why!" the pinkette snapped, her eyes wide with disbelief. "And locked up in a bathroom, no less."

"So what?" Sasuke shrugged, nonchalant. "It's about time we spiced things up a little, don't you think?"

And with that, he sealed his lips on hers once again, chocking any word of protest that she might have prepared for him.

Sakura tried to object. She really, really did. She tried to tell him to stop, to make him understand that this simply could _not_ be. But how could she do something like that, how could she push him away, when every fiber of her being screamed for more?

* * *

_***** Due to the fact that FFn seems to be threatening to remove stories with content over M-rating, I have felt obligated to remove the lemon at the end :(_

_A/N: Also, I must inform you of the fact that I am a lazy creature, and therefore, the chapter hasn't been proof-read yet. But it will be in a few days! I hope you didn't encounter many mistakes, and if you did, I apologize. I was just not in the mood to re-read the whole thing again, and I wanted to update as soon as possible._

_I will try to have the next chapter up as soon as possible. From what I have in mind at this point, it shouldn't be too hard to write it, but since one can never know, I won't make any promises. _

_Now, review! Remember, you'll get some tasty cookies in exchange! _

_P.S. As usual, you can find pictures of Sakura's outfits on my profile. _

_Also, also! Check my blog to see pictures of TenTen's and Sakura's make-up. There will be some explanations there, too._


	25. Facing the Past

_A/N: Hello, everybody! Sorry for making you wait so long! Don't worry about me; I'm perfectly fine. Fortunately, I am from Europe, not Japan. _

_Hearing about the situation there makes me sad, though. Maybe we can all find a way to help, even with little things._

_Anyhow, here's the chapter! Enjoy it!_

_

* * *

_

_**Incomplete**__  
By The Terrorist_

_**Chapter twenty-five**__  
Facing the Past_

_

* * *

_

"Fuck," Sakura groaned as she stared at her reflection in the mirror, a displeased frown present on her features.

Behind her, her husband promptly rolled his eyes, but otherwise remained quiet, too calm and satisfied to bother with retorting. With a soft, almost inaudible sigh, he slumped further against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest and his black eyes closed as he waited for her to finish getting ready so that they could finally leave that bathroom.

(…Not that he _hadn't_ liked that bathroom, if you get what I mean.)

"Sasuke, you ripped my panties!" The pinkette turned to face him as she whined, her eyes showing an equal amount of both anger and disappointment.

Quite frankly, Sasuke wasn't sure that she was accusing him, or simply whining so that he would give her money to go shopping and get herself another pair. Sakura had been living off his money for almost two years now, but she had never truly asked for anything; she had simply accessed his bank account and provided herself with whatever she needed. Now, ever since they had gotten together, she had taken a liking to asking for permission beforehand – or rather, obtaining that permission.

The Uchiha had a feeling that she brought this subject up in an effort to persuade him to go shopping with her, but he always played stupid, because there was just no way he would _ever_ be caught doing something like that. Although…now that he thought about it, visiting a lingerie shop with her might prove to be quite an interesting experience. But that was beside the point.

"I know, Sakura," he sighed once again and nonchalantly ran a hand through his hair, obviously unaffected – and not at all sorry about what he had done.

"I'm very glad you do, Sasuke." She rolled her eyes as she turned back to face herself in the mirror. "But the fact remains: you ripped off my panties, and right now, I have nothing to put on because of you!"

Sasuke scoffed. "And what was that bag for, then?" he asked, remembering the atrocious amount of items she had managed to fit into her handbag the night before. It had been quite an impressive performance, truth to be told.

"For my dress and shoes!" she explained, glaring at him.

"And you expect me to believe that you didn't throw another set of underwear in there?"

"That is beside the point!" she shrieked, her hands balling into fists.

Sasuke smirked, secretly enjoying every second of this charade. She was just so beautiful when she got angry, that he briefly contemplated the idea of continuing to argue with her, just to see the way her green eyes lit up like fire, the way they narrowed and glared at him. It made him want to rip her dress off her little body and take her again – and again, and again, and again.

And since that probably wouldn't have been such a good idea, he figured it would be better if he kept his mouth shut.

Thanks to his silence, the pinkette soon relaxed, her angry gaze melting into one of disappointment as she once again took in her disheveled appearance. "Damn it, Sasuke!" she whined. "Look at me! I look like…" she stopped abruptly, unsure of which words to choose in order to ensure that they wouldn't have an even bigger impact on him and his ego.

Sasuke noticed that, of course, and immediately rolled his eyes. Such a drama queen she was. Pushing off the wall, he slowly made his way towards her pouting self, one of his hands reaching out to gently caress the curve of her spine.

"Like you've just been properly fucked," he supplied helpfully, nonchalantly, as his eyes met hers in the mirror.

"I'm serious, Sasuke!" she snapped, reaching behind her to slap his hand away. "My make-up is ruined, my hair is disheveled, and I look like I've just run a marathon!"

"You look gorgeous," he disagreed as he came back behind her and wrapped his arms around her middle section, his hands softly stroking her taut stomach.

"Sasuke!" she whined once again, letting her head fall back against his shoulder for a brief moment, before bringing it back up. "I know you get all adoring and stuff after we have sex, and I love that with every fiber of my being, but this is serious! We're at our best friends' wedding, for God's sake!"

The Uchiha sighed quietly, before promptly burying his face into the crook of her neck. "Don't worry," he said, his voice coming out muffled against her skin. "The ceremony is over, anyway. They're getting congratulated by everyone right now—"

"I truly believe they've finished with that by now," Sakura scoffed, but her husband ignored her, going on as though she had not spoken.

"—so they won't notice our absence. And besides, you have to change, don't you?"

"Yes," she answered in a defeated tone. "But still…"

"Stop acting like a whiny child, Sakura," he admonished, glaring lightly at her as he lifted his head from where it had been resting – on her shoulder. "You know you enjoyed it."

And even though she rolled her eyes, the pinkette found herself unable to reply to that. He had pressured her into doing something she didn't entirely want, but she couldn't stay mad at him for more than three seconds. Not after the orgasm he had just given her and the utter adorable way he was behaving in right now. This was a side of her husband that only came out in moments like these, and she had long since made a point out of enjoying it every time it happened.

"I'm going downstairs." He pulled away from her as he announced this, and she resisted the urge to whine at the loss of warmth. "Finish up in here and I'll meet you there, alright?"

Albeit reluctantly, she agreed with a slight nod, and her stomach did a weird flip, butterflies exploding in it when he lightly kissed her forehead, before turning around and making his way out of the room.

It was weird, really. Even after everything they had done together, it was still simple actions like these that did the strangest things to her.

~•~

Hands shoved nonchalantly in his pockets, Sasuke slowly made his way down the stairs of the Hyuuga mansion, immensely thankful that the coast was clear and that there was no one around who he would have to stop and greet. Truth to be told, he wasn't really in the mood for formalities right now – and that had very little to do with his so-called natural aversion to being social.

His expression showing more boredom than probably ever, he decided to put them off at least until his wife was back by his side once again.

God, what he wouldn't give to be cuddling with her in their bed right now…

But alas, he had a commitment to his best friend, and he had to learn how to deal with it – and fast, at that. Besides, he thought as he resumed his position from earlier that day, leaning against the wall on the patio, there was just no way he would let her wander through the garden alone. People needed to know that she was his, and for that, he needed to be next to her the entire evening.

Releasing a quiet sigh, the Uchiha rested his head on the wall behind him, and mentally prepared himself to wait, knowing fully – because he had witnessed it firsthand on the only night he had taken her out to dinner – how long it would take Sakura to put on a damn dress and a pair of shoes. Add her loud-mouthed friends in the equation, and he knew, without a shadow of doubt, that he would be waiting for another half an hour at the very least – that, hoping that his wife didn't decide that she also had to re-apply her make-up and re-do her hair.

Strangely enough, however, Sasuke did not find it inside of him to be mad – or even mildly annoyed – with this knowledge. He was just…relaxed. Willing to wait a lifetime for her, if that's what he needed to do. And after a series of complicated equations, he realized he knew exactly why that was. It was all because of her. Because of her way of tempting him in the smallest manners, without even being aware of it, of making him jealous without even wanting to, of making the cave-man inside him resurface with more passion than ever before.

Sex with Sakura wasn't just sex. It was something more… It had always been something more than just that. They were in a relationship, they had a certain connection, so it was only normal that everything was much more intense than it had ever been with his previous hook-ups. But there was also the after-sex period, during which he always found himself acting really…weird, for the lack of a better word. He was incredibly relaxed and unbelievably open; he smiled more often than he usually did in a month, and he had a feeling that, if she made a goal out of it, she could even make him laugh.

They had problems, alright – lots of them. But the true essence of their relationship was right there, in those few moments calmly spent together. And it was a beautiful essence, one that motivated him to keep on fighting, on making efforts to change; one that gave him hope that, someday, he could be truly happy with this woman.

And in the end, that was all that mattered.

A hand on his shoulder snapped him out of his thoughts, and as deja-vu installed itself into his mind, he briefly wondered just how much time had passed without him realizing, because there was no way his wife would have been ready this fast. But the perfume that invaded his senses a moment later was not the one he was accustomed to. No, Sakura didn't smell like that – she didn't smell overpoweringly or overly perfumed; she smelled just like a woman should – soft, fresh, sweetly addicting. And this was most definitely not her.

"Hello, Sasuke-kun." Instead, it was Karin's voice that reached his ears, and the Uchiha had to fight hard to restrain himself from groaning out loud.

Letting his head bang back against the wall, a clear sign of displeasure, he watched as the redhead circled him, her hand slipping from his shoulder on his chest, and then down on his lower abdomen as she leaned in to kiss him. His previously bored gaze instantly sharpened into a hard glare and he pushed her away, with maybe a little too much force, sending her stumbling back into her high heels.

However, Karin did not look the slightest bit disconcerted, almost as though she had expected that. She shook her head lightly, a small smirk present on her features, and flipped her red hair so that it was tumbling over her shoulder, placing her hands on her slim hips.

Unable to help himself, Sasuke's eyes traveled over her figure, clad in a simple, white dress that snuggly hugged her curves and brought out her creamy skin, contrasting with the vibrant color of her hair.

She looked good, he wouldn't deny. After all, why would he? What was the point? He would never even glance at a woman who did not look at least the slightest little bit good, and that was not a secret to anybody. And Karin had long legs and curves in all the right places; her hair was long and naturally red, her lips full and pouty, and by some men, she might even be considered beautiful.

But her eyes didn't tell him anything, and neither did her expression. Everything she ever did had a selfish purpose; her words, her actions, her thoughts, and even her feelings gravitated around it until she got what she wanted, and then they all ceased completely. There was no possibility of conversation with her; there was no teasing, no cuddling, no speaking in hushed tones in the dark. There was nothing deep or mysterious about her. On the inside, she was empty. And Sasuke could never be truly interested in such a woman.

Now, if only she would take a hint and leave him the hell alone already! When the heck did she get so persistent, anyway? She used to be quite understanding in the past, when they were together (so to say), so Sasuke could only guess that the change was caused by the knowledge that he and Sakura were now trying to make their marriage work.

Oh, well. At least she wasn't running after him like a lost puppy, begging him to leave his wife for her. Karin had never wanted a proper relationship; she had always been content with him fucking her.

"Remember this?" she asked as she gracefully extended her hand towards him, showing him the diamond bracelet gracing her wrist.

The Uchiha frowned for a moment, but then rolled his eyes and slumped back against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Of course you do," she answered for him as she took her hand back, examining the jewel adorning it. "You bought it for me."

"I did not," Sasuke hissed, scowling. "You bought it with my credit card. There's a difference." The incident – an incident that, unfortunately for her, had not repeated – had happened before his wedding.

Ever since the date was established, he had not been in the best of moods, and obviously not on good terms with any of his family members. Company usually tended to annoy him, because it seemed like everybody wanted to talk to him about the very same thing he was trying to escape, so it was no real surprise when he ran and sought refuge in Karin's arms.

Jealous by nature, the woman had never once brought up Sakura's name, and Sasuke was just so frustrated and upset every time he came to see her, that she rarely managed to speak at all, in the first place.

That had ever seemed to bother her, and although the Uchiha was far from calling her presence soothing, relaxing, or even helpful, there was no denying the fact that she had been quite pampered in that small period of time. She had learned quickly that her partner was not in the mood for arguing and that he would pretty much give her anything she asked for, with the sole condition that she would keep quiet.

That bracelet was the apparent result of one of those times.

"Regardless," she sighed happily, a smug expression on her face, "I very much doubt the fact that your wife has _ever_ received anything like this from you."

"Neither have you, Karin," he pointed out sharply, but she ignored him, her smirk widening.

"I wonder what she would think of this…" she said, seemingly to herself, and almost laughed out loud when she heard his growl. "Yes, I believe she won't like it." She sighed, then perked up, as though having suddenly remembered something. "Speaking of, how are things between the two of you?"

"That is none of your business," he seethed, still glaring at her.

The redhead laughed lightly, shaking her head mockingly. "Sasuke-kun, why so edgy?" she asked, smiling slyly. "Is there something…wrong? Does she not _satisfy_ you entirely?" Taking a step closer to him, her hand reached out to gently caress the collar of his shirt and the skin that peaked from underneath it. "Because you could always – "

"Get lost," he snapped fiercely, slapping her hand away. The redhead smirked and once again shook her head, stepping back. "Now, Karin," he emphasized when she showed no intention of leaving.

"If she's as perfect as you seem to think," she started, her voice gaining a more serious touch, "why would you have a problem with talking to me about her?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, annoyance shining clearly in them. "Can't you see you're not worth it?" he delivered gracefully, making her laugh lightly.

"Strong words, Sasuke-kun," she remarked. "But you'll come back to me in the end." The confidence and sincerity in her voice told him she actually believed that, and he couldn't help his scoff. Although she rolled her eyes, Karin refused to even comment. Despite popular opinion, she was not impulsive, nor was she stupid. She knew how to play her cards. "She's cheating on you, Sasuke-kun," she announced after a few moments of silence, her dark-brown eyes piercing through him. "You and I both know it. You have the proof right in front of you. I don't understand why you choose not to see it."

Completely unfazed by her words – at least on the outside – Sasuke simply sighed and relaxed, leaning his head further against the wall in a bored manner. Karin had been like this ever since she had found out that he and Sakura had officially become a couple. She used every opportunity to get closer to him, to fill his mind with unwanted thoughts and possibilities.

More than once, the Uchiha had contemplated calling his lawyer and filling in a restraining order against her. He had probably never realized it before, but the redhead could be dangerous when she wanted to. The damn bitch knew when it was time to act – she knew what to say and how to say it. And now, when he was just starting his relationship with Sakura, when he had just fucked her in the goddamn bathroom at his best friend's wedding because he was jealous and freaking insecure of what they had, she was here, telling him this. She was not stupid, as he had thought.

But regardless of that, she would not achieve her purpose. There was just no way he would let _anyone_ ruin the relationship he had built with his wife, nor would he ever leave the treasure he had discovered inside her for someone like Karin – or for anybody else, for that matter.

"I'm just being honest with you, Sasuke," her voice broke through the silence that had fallen over them, the fake warmth she had infused in it making him roll his eyes. "And I promise I won't hold any of this against you. No matter what you do with her, no matter how long it takes you to realize what kind of person she is… I'll be waiting for you, Sasuke-kun."

"Do you even listen to yourself, Karin?" he asked, uncharacteristically concerned with her mental state. Even if he and his wife eventually ended up separated, what made her think he would go back to her?

"Of course I – " She stopped abruptly, her eyes lighting up and a sly grin erupting on her features as she caught sight of someone behind him. "Oh, hey! Sakura! Over here!"

Sasuke turned around just in time to see the shock flash minutely through her apple-green eyes, before it – along with the multitude of emotions he was used to seeing in them – disappeared behind a well-mastered mask. Her pink-tinted lips parted, as though she wanted to speak, but soon set back into a firm line, preventing any sound from coming out. Straightening her back, she took a deep breath – an action so subtle and graceful that someone who did not know her as well as he would have not noticed – and started to elegantly make her way to the two of them.

She was dressed in a beautiful, light yellow dress that flowed gently down to her mid-thigh. Her shapely legs were clad in matching, strappy sandals, and her long hair, once stylishly arranged, was now simply tumbling down her back and shoulders in shiny curls. Her make-up was flawless once again, he decided when he met her eyes, but her cold gaze unnerved him.

For a moment, he worried. Worried about her getting the wrong idea. Worried about Karin achieving her purpose and driving them even further apart.

But then she came to stand next to him, molding herself to his side and softly smiling up at him. And suddenly, he knew everything would be alright.

Thankful that she was finally there, he threw an arm over her shoulders and pulled her even closer to him, secretly loving the way her arms came to wrap around his slim waist, sneaking under his suit jacket so he could feel the warmth radiating off them.

"How have you been, Sakura?" Karin's voice carried to his ears, and he sighed dejectedly as he was pulled out of his bubble, burying his nose into his wife's hair and inhaling deeply. Instantly, the soft scent of her shampoo invaded his senses, and every cell in his body relaxed, making him able to easily tune out the redhead's voice and presence.

It was alright to let his guard down, his intuition told him – after all, Sakura was here now.

"Perfectly fine," she answered, and the carefully concealed acidity in her voice surprised him. He had never heard her sound like this before, not even when she was fully expressing her anger. "How about you?"

Karin smiled sweetly. "I'm more than perfect," she declared happily, then extended her arm towards her, showing her the jewel she had previously argued with Sasuke about. "Look! Your hubby gave me this."

The Uchiha resisted the urge to groan out loud at her childish action, and clenched his jaw in an effort to hold back the string of curses that popped into his mind instantaneously. He pulled away from the woman in his arms and looked down at her, studying her expression carefully, almost afraid of how she was going to react.

He did not speak, though, nor did he make any attempts at explaining himself; she could get mad if she considered she had that right, but there was no way he was putting on such a show for Karin.

There was no denying the fact that he was surprised when, instead of the screams and slaps he had expected, he was met with a smile and a slight shake of her head.

"A while back?" she inquired softly as she discretely peered at the bracelet.

For a moment, the redhead looked taken aback, as well, but she soon snapped out of it. "Yes," she answered, a bit hesitantly, as she wasn't quite sure what her rival had meant by that. "Do you like it?"

"Oh, yes," Sakura answered, her voice tinted with only a discrete tint of sarcasm. "I wonder what you had to 'perform' for that bracelet," she added in an inquisitive manner, shocking both her husband and his ex-mistress. "Oh, don't answer that. What am I saying? Forgive me, Karin. My thoughts are just all over the place today, but I understand now. He got it so that you would leave him alone, right?"

Karin gasped audibly, clearly offended and unable to believe that her perfectly put-together plan had just backfired on her, while Sasuke had to bury his nose back into his wife's hair in order to hide his smirk.

"Pretty cheap, are we?" Three words later, and he was already trying to stifle his chuckle.

It was in that moment that he realized – he fucking _adored_ this woman.

~•~

"Have you seen her face?" Sakura laughed, throwing her head back. "It was priceless, I swear!"

Her husband smirked at her words, his arms tightening minutely around her waist. He was once again leaning against the wall, the pinkette plastered to him, and they had been basking in the comfort of each other's arms ever since Karin had angrily stomped off. Of course, both of them had found that to be hilarious; actually, Sakura was still gushing over it as though it was her biggest achievement.

The Uchiha personally thought it was – at least in this particular field. Don't get me wrong, the catfight had also been rather interesting to watch, even for a few seconds, but seeing – and hearing – her send her rival to hell and back so elegantly had made his chest swell with pride.

Really, there were so many sides of her that he had yet to know about, and every single little thing that he discovered only served to make him even crazier about her.

Still giggling lightly, the pinkette stood on her tiptoes and gently touched her smiling lips to his, absolutely loving the way he brought her even closer to his hard chest. His strong arms held her so protectively and so possessively against him that it almost made her want to forget about everything and everyone and just go home, because all she wanted to do at this point was to be alone with him.

Just like all of her friends, she had been looking forward to this wedding, and that was not necessarily because she was tired of running around and stressing over the smallest details. It was more because, in her opinion, this was the perfect opportunity to be seen in public with Sasuke.

Although she had never been much of an exhibitionist, it had been incredibly hard for her to contain the excitement that erupted inside her at the mere thought of holding his hand, of kissing him, of simply showing her affection openly while other people watched them; she had wanted to scream out her happiness, to have the whole world know that their marriage was on the right track for once.

But that had been before. Now, when the reality and complexity of the situation had finally sunk in, she was having trouble leaving the relative privacy the patio offered them. Because that would mean venturing out in the crowd – a crowd she partially knew – and she was scared out of her mind that she would have to face all the things she had been trying so hard to avoid.

Although probably for different reasons, Sasuke seemed to be of the same opinion – at least that was what she deduced from the disappointed sigh that escaped his lips when he pulled away from her.

Resting his forehead against hers, he gazed into her beautiful green eyes. "We have to go," he said in what had to be the most disappointed tone she had ever heard him speak in.

It was hard for Sasuke to be realistic, especially in situations like these, but as much of a spoiled prick he had been the entire day, he knew he could not postpone this for any longer. And besides, the faster he got it over with, the sooner he could go home with Sakura, right?

"I know," the pinkette answered in a small voice, looking down.

Sasuke frowned lightly upon seeing her reaction. "Hey," he said, minutely tightening his arms around her, and she looked up at him again, a questioning look in her eyes. "What's wrong?"

Any other man would have happily concluded that the reasoning behind her behavior was simply her wanting the same thing as him – wanting to go home, get in bed, and stay there for the rest of the day – but the Uchiha knew better than to let himself be fooled like that. There was something more to this situation, and he was determined to find out what exactly that was.

Luckily, his wife had learned, by now, that there was no way she could hide her true feelings from him. "I'm just…" She tried to speak, but ended up trailing off, unable to find the right words. Looking down once more, she sighed and shrugged lightly, before speaking again, "My parents will be here, Sasuke. My _father_ will be here. And I…"

His eyes darkened at the mere mention of her family, the incident from almost two months ago instantly springing to his mind, but his anger quickly receded as her small hand smoothed over his forearm.

"I guess I'm just a little apprehensive about bumping into them," she finished with a small sigh.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "You _will_ bump into them, Sakura. There's no way you can avoid that."

"I know…" she murmured after a moment of silence, her fingers playing with one of the buttons from his shirt.

Without hesitation, he grasped her hand with his, encouraging her to look up at him. "Let's go greet them right now," he said, steadily holding her shocked gaze. "I'll make sure to let them know you're not alone and defenseless anymore."

"No," she whispered, shaking her head. "It's not worth it."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Not worth it?" he repeated in a mocking manner. "Sakura, they have – "

"You want to knock some sense into my father," she interrupted him in a firm tone, "and I'm grateful for that. But I'm telling you: it's not going to work. I know him, Sasuke. No matter what, he will not change."

"He will have to," he retorted, stubbornly holding his ground, and pushed off the wall, grasping her hand more firmly as he began to lead her away. "Come on."

"No!" she exclaimed, digging her heels into the ground and grasping his wrist with her other hand in an effort to stop him. "Sasuke, don't! Please don't!"

It was her pleading tone that stopped him, and not her futile display of strength. Whipping around to face her, Sasuke opened his mouth to speak, to make her understand that this was all for the best, but snapped it back closed when he noticed just how pale his wife was.

"I can't deal with this right now," she told him, her voice soft and breathy. "I don't want to… I don't want to see them, Sasuke."

"You alright?" he asked as he reached out for her, no longer interested in getting his way, but in making sure that she wouldn't fall off her feet.

Sakura frowned lightly, refusing to meet his eyes. "Yeah," she whispered, and brought a hand up to her forehead, shaking her head quickly in an effort to chase the sudden wave of dizziness away. She swayed on her feet slightly, but Sasuke caught her by the forearms and stabilized her before anything bad could happen.

"Take it easy," he advised, the concern obvious in his voice. "Tell me what's wrong. Have you eaten?"

"Yes," she breathed out, her eyes closing on their own accord when he gathered her into his arms, his hand smoothing down her back. She immediately curled into him, her small hands once again slipping under his jacket and fisting his shirt; her face buried into his chest, she inhaled his scent deeply, and instantly felt every cell in her body relax, the dizziness slowly dissipating.

"Something is going on with you, and I don't like it, Sakura," he said after a few moments of silence.

"There's nothing going on with me," she answered stubbornly, pulling away from him. He hovered over her for a moment, still in protective mother hen mode, but he relaxed as soon as he realized that she could stand on her own. "I'm fine. I'm just a little tired," she assured him and offered him a thin smile.

Sasuke's eyes softened at the sight of it, and he reached out for her, cupping her face into his hands. "Baby, I – "

"God," her breathy whisper interrupted him, making him frown. She glanced over his shoulder, before quickly averting her eyes, setting them on his face. They were dark green and stormy, emotions raging behind them, but before he could question her on the matter, a familiar voice from behind him rang through the air, shattering the relative silence of the patio.

"Sakura!" Before he could even realize what had happened, a pink blur had wedged itself between the two of them, wrapping her arms around his wife.

It was not the first time Sasuke saw Haruno Keiko, and that pink hair that Sakura had inherited left no space for mistakes or misunderstandings. Truth to be told, the woman had always seemed rather nice to him; not up to his mother's level, of course, but she was polite and smart, only spoke when she was asked, and when that happened, never failed to deliver elegant and graceful answers.

But the look in Sakura's eyes when she let go of her told him that he might have just let himself be fooled by appearances once again.

"Honey, how have you been?" Keiko asked, and for the first time ever, Sasuke noticed the fake warmth her voice was infused with. "You totally forgot about us! You haven't given us a call in forever!"

Sakura refused to answer, having always hated the way her mother treated her as though she was her most precious thing when they were in public. The disappointment that ensued was each time harder to bear, and she had hoped that her wedding would be the last time she would have to deal with something like that. It seemed like fate had other plans, though.

Oh the other hand, Sasuke observed her reactions carefully. Her whole body was tense, her eyes steel-hard, and her lips pressed together tightly; she was looking down at her shoes, her arms wrapped tightly around her waist, as though helping her to hold herself together. It wasn't hard to tell that, not only was she uncomfortable, but also on the verge of breaking down.

It was practically a no-brainer when he reached for her and brought her back into his arms, cradling her protectively to his chest.

If Keiko was bothered at all by her daughter's demeanor, she didn't show it. She simply continued to smile innocently, seemingly not even aware of the fact that Sakura was uncomfortable.

"She has her own life now, Keiko," another familiar, deeper voice sounded from behind them, "You must understand."

Haruno Satoru came to stand next to his wife only a moment later, and as soon as his eyes fell on him, Sasuke felt every muscle in his body tense, the dragon inside him preparing to lash out.

This man had never meant a thing to him. Once upon a time, he had simply been the father of his wife, someone who he couldn't even call his father-in-law, due to the non-existed relationship between his daughter and himself. He had talked to him when he needed to, mostly about matters regarding work; never once had he been curious enough to ask about his daughter, and Sasuke had never brought her up.

To say that the few looks and words they had exchanged over the years made for a relationship would be a stretch. But Sasuke had respected him. Not in the full sense of the word, because he could only do that for a select group of people, but he had respected him – there was no denying it.

It had only taken one small, seemingly insignificant event, one twist of the destiny to make him change his opinion of him, but it was irrevocable now. He would never look at this man with the same eyes again.

"Sasuke," he greeted him with an amiable nod, not even once glancing at the girl in his arms. As a reflex almost, his arm tightened around her small waist, bringing her even closer to him.

The Uchiha nodded back, still tense, making an almost inhuman effort to refrain himself from lunging for his throat. Because he had hurt her. This man, who was supposed to love her, to care for her, to protect her from everything and everyone, had hurt her – and judging by the way the pinkette was clinging to him now, it had not happened only once.

"You two look very happy together," Keiko commented after a moment of tense silence, curling her arm around her husband's.

Sasuke suddenly felt like he wanted to kick himself for not having noticed long before just how fake she was. Her daughter was there, clutching to him as if her life depended on it, not even daring to make contact with her, while he was trying hard not to punch her husband to death. He was curious as to what she found 'happy' about this whole scenario, really.

"You do," Satoru agreed with a slight smirk. "And I'm very pleased to know that someone is there to love and care for her, just like I have done for so many years."

That did it. Something inside of him snapped as he heard those words, his anger skyrocketing, and Sasuke was more than ready to pounce on him right then and there, consequences be damned.

But then her small fist tightened around his shirt, her fragile body curling into him even more, as if begging him to shelter her, to protect her from these people… And Sasuke suddenly knew he had to find another way to get his message through.

"Yes, of course," he replied steadily, his arm moving from her waist to her shoulders, curling around them protectively. "I believe we both know just how much you _loved_ to take care of her. I must say, if it happens again, I might insist on making it public. You love your daughter way too much for the world not to see it. That would be a shame, really."

A few long, tension-filled moments passed in silence as Sasuke's words sunk into everyone's mind. Hardly intimidated or regretful, the Uchiha continued to stare into those green eyes that seemed so familiar, watching them change from shocked to angry, before becoming blank and integrating in the mask of indifference that covered Satoru's whole face.

"I understand," he said at length. "She's all yours now."

Unable to physically pummel him to the ground, Sasuke would have loved to at least threaten him with breaking his motherfucking face, but he knew that he had hit the mark with this remark more than he could have done with anything else. Appearances were everything for the Haruno family. Once, they used to be everything for the Uchiha, as well.

Fortunately, he thought as he looked down at the woman in his arms, things were slowly changing now.

~•~

"You okay?" his concerned voice filled her ears, making her smile softly.

"I'm fine," she reassured him for what felt like the umpteenth time, one of her hands reaching up to rest over his as it gently cupped her cheek.

Sasuke frowned, refusing to believe her. "You look pale," he noted once again.

The pinkette rolled her eyes. "You can imagine that seeing them didn't exactly _please_ me, right?"

He was quiet for a moment, knowing perfectly well just how right she was. Her parents had left only moments after Satoru had spoken his last words, absolutely no hesitation in their demeanor as they walked away from their one and only daughter, with the knowledge that this would most likely be the last time they saw her well-engraved into their minds.

And it amazed him, really. It amazed him just how detached they could be… Just like it amazed him that his wife had managed to stand this kind of treatment for so long.

She had always been so sensitive, so emotional; she was a strong woman – there was no denying that – but she was also driven easily by her feelings, and living with two parents that not only ignored her and treated her badly, but also beat her up for the fun of it must have been incredibly hard for her.

Her reaction to seeing them again had pretty much said everything that needed to be said in regard to that. And to think that he had actually been by her side this time, that he had been able to defend her. Who knew what things were like when they were in the privacy of their home? Sasuke shook his head as that thought popped into his head, refusing to dwell too much on it.

Because if he allowed himself to do that, he was afraid that he would hunt those two down and finish them off.

"You still don't look good to me," he pressed on, his voice calm and soft, as he gazed deep into her eyes.

"I'll be fine," she told him, turning her head slightly so that she could place a kiss on the palm of his hand. "Give me a big cup of champagne and I'll be as flushed as you want me to be."

She attempted to smile, but it didn't reach her eyes, and as much of an expert as she had once been at hiding her true feelings, Sasuke noticed that immediately. A soft sigh escaped his lips as he removed his hand from her face and buried both of them into his pockets, breaking any type of contact between them.

"That day," he spoke after a few moments of silence, a bit hesitant in his actions, as he was not quite sure he should do this. Whether it was because of his sometimes incontrollable anger, or because of her possibly not so good reaction, he didn't know. "It wasn't the first time he hit you, was it?"

To his surprise, he saw her shake her head. "No, it was," she said, her voice soaking in sincerity. "But words can hurt more than a bruise."

His eyes instantly softened at her words, memories of a long time ago springing to his mind. For the past half and hour, he had done nothing more than curse Satoru in his head and wonder just how much of an asshole he could be, but not even for a moment had he stopped to think that he had hurt this woman as much – or probably even more than him.

It was different, though. He had had a reason – a very twisted reason, one he could not fully understand himself, but a reason, nonetheless. But Satoru? What reason could _he_ have possible had? What could have young, innocent Sakura done to deserve that kind of treatment?

No, he decided. There was a difference – and a very big one, at that. And when she reached out and grasped his wrist, gently coaxing him to pull his hand out of his pocket, he realized that Sakura knew this, that she understood it, and that she would never fear him the way she feared her father.

A few moments of silence passed, time in which he stared at their now intertwined hands with an unreadable look in his onyx eyes.

"Why?" he voiced his question without looking up at her, a frown displayed on his usually emotionless features.

"Why what?" she asked, confused as to what he was talking about.

"Why did he treat you like that?" he clarified, finally raising his head to make eye-contact with her.

However, the pinkette simply shook her head, smiling sadly. "It's a long story," she said. "But in the end… I guess that's just the way he is: cold, unreachable, violent…" she trailed off, shrugging lightly.

A growl built up in Sasuke's throat at way she was portraying this, as though it was no big deal at all, and he couldn't help but glare lightly at her. "That does not give him the right to – "

"Sasuke!" an all too familiar voice interrupted his speech, and both of them turned towards its source, not at all surprised to see Uchiha Mikoto heading their way.

Sakura had only seen the woman a handful of times when they were making preparations for the wedding, and the two of them had never really had time to sit down and talk, to get to know each other better, but even so, from the very first moment she laid her eyes on her, she saw in her the mother she had never had.

She was beautiful, the kind of woman that could easily turn heads, even at her age, and she had this pleasant aura around her that made her look kind and easy to approach. It was more than obvious that she had a wonderful life, that she was clearly accomplished on all levels, but that did not stop her from treating Sakura better than her own mother had in a lifetime.

The pinkette remembered watching the Uchiha family at the wedding, seeing the way her husband kept rejecting his mother's well-intended actions, the way he acted like he had it all… There was no denying the fact that she had been a little jealous of him at the time, and had even gone as far as considering him stupid, because it was obvious that he didn't know how to appreciate a thing from what he had.

"I feel like I haven't seen you in forever!" she exclaimed as she came to stand in front of them, taking turns at hugging them both. She lingered a bit on her son and whispered something in his ear; he rolled his eyes, but did not seem annoyed at all, and the scene made Sakura smile. Something about their relationship was different, and although she could not know for sure what or why, she was glad because of it.

Elegant and stylish as always, Mikoto was quite a vision in her long, dark blue gown that revealed her back and a bit of her legs when she walked; a pair of silver sandals adorned her feet, diamond earrings in her ears. Her make-up was subtle, only serving to accentuate her natural beauty, and everything about her was flawless – from her slim, perfectly proportioned body, to her long, shiny black hair.

It seemed like the years had passed her by, but even so, Sakura could see something different about her, something that hadn't been there two years ago – a spark in her eyes, a small mixture of enthusiasm, happiness, and excitement. She briefly wondered what could have caused it.

"How are you, Sakura?" she asked amiably as she took her hands into her own, smiling warmly at her.

"I'm fine, thank you," the pinkette replied politely, a bit too formally for her taste. She liked Mikoto, but unfortunately, she did not know her well enough to feel entirely comfortable around her.

Letting go of one of her hands, she turned her attention back to her son and reached out to smooth his bangs away from his forehead in a maternal gesture that Sakura just had to smile at.

"You guys look so good together," she gushed, obviously happy with the news they had unconsciously given her, still smiling widely. "Come by our table, alright? Fugaku would love to see you two – especially you, Sasuke."

"Right," said person mumbled sarcastically under his breath, causing his mother to throw him a stern look over her shoulder, before walking away with one last smile sent in Sakura's direction.

Frowning, but at the same time smiling, the pinkette turned towards her husband, easily slipping back into his arms. "What was that all about?" she asked, amused.

"That," he started, rolling his eyes, "was about my mother flipping me off."

"Nice," she laughed, and after the episode with her parents, the sound was like music to his ears. "You sure you don't wanna go?"

Upon hearing her words, the Uchiha raised a curious eyebrow. "You sure you wanna deal with my family right now?"

It was Sakura's turn to roll her eyes. "Your family is not my own," she reminded him. "Your family is great."

Sasuke scoffed. "Yeah, right."

The pinkette sighed softly, shaking her head. "When are you going to learn how to appreciate what you have?"

"I do appreciate what I have," he argued, a small scowl making its appearance on his features.

"Well, it certainly doesn't seem like it," she shot back.

"Are we going to argue about that now?" he asked in an exasperated fashion. "Really?"

"Who's arguing? I was just saying." She shrugged, seemingly uninterested, but her face brightened as she caught sight of a certain somebody behind him. "Oh hey, Naruto!" she yelled, waving enthusiastically, before returning her attention to her husband, grinning widely now. "Come on, I'll finally introduce you."

Taking his hand, she wormed out of his embrace and started to walk towards the place where her best friend was standing, only to suddenly stop and turn back around as a thought hit her.

"Promise me you're not going to cause a scene," she told him, so solemnly that for a moment, he wondered whether she was playing with him.

"Why would I cause a scene?" he asked when he finally decided that she was actually being serious.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Because you're fond of them?" she suggested.

"You're not being funny," he deadpanned, staring at her blankly.

"I'm not trying to!" she exclaimed, defending herself. "Now, I'm going to introduce you to my _best friend_ and you're going to keep that title in mind and treat him as such, alright?"

His only response was a death-glare (one whose intensity had been specially adapted for her, Sakura noticed), to which she smiled triumphantly.

"Good," she said, the satisfaction obvious in her voice, "Now, come on."

Sasuke had expected to see her latch herself to the so-called Naruto once again, but all he did this time was roll his eyes. Just like she had said, he was the best friend. He posed no threat, especially since he had seen the way Neji's cousin was hanging on his arm before they got there. And besides, he wanted to prove to Sakura that he really could control himself if he wanted to.

Actually, now that he thought about it, this wasn't even about self-control, to begin with. It was about showing her that he would never get jealous of anyone without a very good reason. He was a rational, sane person; he lashed out only if provoked, and the fact that he might have made some mistakes along the way didn't give her the right to judge him so easily.

It was only when the two of them parted that the Uchiha finally got the chance to see the man better. He had blond hair, unruly as it stuck out at every angle possible, and his eyes were a deep blue, practically shining with happiness and fondness ever since they caught sight of Sakura.

Never once did they flicker towards him while she was still between them, but when she stepped away, melding herself to his side once again, all traces of cheerfulness dissipating.

"You already know Hinata, I bet," the pinkette stated, as if oblivious to the tension between the two men, and her husband nodded curtly.

The Hyuuga cousins and him had practically grown up together, and even though he and Hinata had drifted apart over the years, he still considered her a close friend. True, they had not exchanged more than ten words this year, but Sasuke did not judge his friends by those standards. To him, it was enough to know that he could trust a person, that he could rely on her when good turned to worse.

Going out and telling each other everything…those were superficial things he didn't bother with.

Said girl smiled and simply nodded at him in that shy way of always. She had changed, as well, he absentmindedly noticed, before turning his gaze to the man standing next to her.

"You must be the bastard," he spoke as soon as their eyes met, without even waiting for Sakura to introduce them.

"Naruto," she hissed venomously as soon as his words reached her ears, glaring at him.

Sasuke snorted unceremoniously, strangely not at all offended. "You must be the idiot, then," he retorted, earning a shocked gasp from his wife. "I mean, only a buffoon can make her laugh like you do. She does that every time she talks about you, so – "

"Oh, so she talks about me, doesn't she?" the blond interrupted him. "That's so cute, Sakura-chan."

The pinkette glared at him. "Naruto – " she tried to speak, but was also cut off as her friend continued.

"I may be an idiot, but have you, Sir Bastard, ever made her laugh like that?"

"We're adults, not kids," Sasuke deadpanned. "And this is not a competition. At least, not between you and me."

Naruto gritted his teeth, easily annoyed with the Uchiha's nonchalant attitude, and took a step closer, glaring at him.

"I could kick your ass right here, right now," he threatened.

"Naruto, don't – " The pinkette tried once more to step between them, but her attempt proved to be unsuccessful only a moment later, when Naruto interrupted her.

"Sakura, why did you even marry this guy?" He paused for a moment, pretending to have suddenly remembered the answer to his own question. "Oh, riiight. He _forced_ you. I forgot."

"I doubt you did," she growled at him.

"I doubt you could," her husband challenged from behind her.

"You doubt I could what, bastard?" Naruto hissed, stepping even closer. "Kick your ass? You really wanna try that?"

"Naruto!" Sakura snapped and slapped him on the back of his head, making him squeak unceremoniously.

While he was rubbing the affected area, she placed a hand on her husband's chest and pushed lightly, forcing him to take a step backwards. Both of his hands were still buried in his pockets, so the pinkette knew he had no intention whatsoever of punching Naruto anytime soon, choosing instead to use more silent weapons – such as his miracle glare.

She was grateful for that, really. He had promised that he would control himself and he seemed to have absolutely no problem with doing so. It was Naruto who she wanted to hurt right now, though.

How come that, at any given time, someone – be that her best friend, or her husband – was more than ready to annoy her and cause her problems?

"You and I are going to have a very serious conversation about this, Naruto," she hissed, glaring at him, "and I assure you, you're not going to like it."

* * *

_A/N: Um, so here ends the first part of the initial chapter. Once again, I didn't have time to proof-read everything, but it should be in order. I'll correct any mistakes as soon as possible._

_All the outfits mentioned in this chapter (+ the ones the girls have chosen back in New York) are posted on my profile. I had a little problem with Sakura's dress, which was nowhere to be found, but I solved it quickly by finding anther one. I should be able to make the necessary changes to chapter nineteen soon enough. _

_I'm not sure when the next part will be posted. I'm hoping in a week, but that might turn into two… because that's just how lazy I am. I'm working on changing that, though. _

_Review! And you will receive one extra cookie because I was late with the update. _

_See you next time! _


	26. The Other Shoe

_A/N: Hello, everybody! Sorry for the tardiness. Real life got in the way… but then again, when doesn't it? _

_Thank you all for the reviews! You guys are amazing! _

_Here's the update. Enjoy! _

* * *

_**Incomplete**__  
By The Terrorist_

_**Chapter twenty-six**__  
The Other Shoe_

* * *

The rest of the night passed fairly quickly.

Once the annoyance she felt towards Naruto's ungodly behavior finally wore off, courtesy of her husband's relaxing presence (and admittedly, a few kisses slipped in here and there), Sakura began to loosen up and enjoy the big event – enjoy being with her friends, enjoy holding her husband's hand, enjoy feeling other people's gazes on them.

The two of them spent a little time with the Uchiha family, as promised – time which felt rather awkward towards the end, when Sasuke and his father began to glare at each other for something that had been said (something that she had not quite gotten the meaning of, because Uchihas were just too evasive and elegant in sending each other to hell) – before returning to their own table, with the newlyweds.

The only problem was, with Hinata being Neji's cousin, she was seated at the same table as him; and with Naruto being her boyfriend (better said, soon-to-be fiancé, from what things looked like, Sakura would dare to assume), the Uchiha couple ended up sitting right across from them. Which basically led to a glaring contest that lasted the majority of the evening. They did not talk; they blatantly refused to, even though they probably both knew that Naruto's glare seemed downright childish in comparison to Sasuke's.

The pinkette was quite pleased that they were keeping quiet, though – so pleased that she actually contemplated, once or twice, forgiving her friend for the scene he had caused earlier. They could glare at each other all they wanted. They could totally miss out on the fun and the whole purpose of this event if that was what they wanted to do. It didn't actually matter what they chose to do. As long as it didn't involve her in any way, and as long as she found someone else who to entertain herself with, Sakura had no problem whatsoever with that.

Well…that, until her husband's glare began to slip elsewhere – to the people around them. More specifically, to the men that were looking (or _seemed_ to be looking) at her, and the ones that actually dared to address her in one way or another. It didn't matter that they were seated at that very table, which meant that they had to be something akin to 'friends' in his dictionary.

It seemed like even they steal her away from him, along with every other male present at the wedding.

Being smart, the pinkette caught on immediately. There were several things that gave it away, one of them being the way his body had tensed beside hers. The little glaring contest he had been having with Naruto had seemed more like a game to him – a game that, she would bet, had even amused him at some point – so of course she had been able to feel the difference in his posture.

At first, she had believed it was because he had finally had enough of this whole charade. Social gatherings like these were really not his type, and ever since the night had fallen over them, Sakura could feel the tiredness beginning to seep into her system, as well; truth to be told, it was a wonder that he had managed to pull it off for so long.

But then, when she leaned into his side, affectionately nestling her head in the crook of his neck, and he didn't kiss her tangled, pink locks like he usually did, she realized she had been fooling herself all along.

Just then, his hand, which had been resting on her thigh the entire time, moved further up, almost reaching under her dress; more than a little annoyed, Sakura clenched her jaw, abruptly sitting up straighter and pulling away from him. Forcing a small smile to her face, she turned to face him.

"Care to accompany me somewhere?" she asked, struggling to keep her feelings from showing in her voice.

Her husband raised an eyebrow at her request, his gaze questioning.

"I just want to get away from the crowd for a few minutes," she explained.

"Hn," he grunted and immediately stood up, obviously not having the minimal intention of leaving her side. He had barely done that throughout the entire reception, only leaving her to her own devices when she decided to spend some time with the girls, and while other women might have considered that to be annoying, the pinkette did not.

Actually, she had thoroughly enjoyed the attention he had lavished her with – all that, until he decided to irrationally get jealous once more, of course.

His hand resting securely on her lower back, they made their way away from the crowd, to the back of the garden. The Hyuuga property was huge, so much that it almost seemed endless, and hidden behind a few trees, left natural in their habitat, there was a beautiful lake, with rocky shores and crystal-clear water. Walking slowly on the deck that extended down to its very core, her heels making soft, muted sounds against the wooden surface, Sakura watched her surroundings, her apple-green eyes eagerly taking in the change of scenery.

There was not a cloud in the sky, and the moon, along with its companions, the stars, reflected off the water's surface; a warm breeze blew lightly, and the soft sound of the leaves rustling, along with the light ripples of the lake crashing against the shore added soundtrack to the peaceful scenery.

Coming to a full stop at the end of the deck, the pinkette leaned forward with her hands on the railing, looking out at the glowing surface of the water.

It was only a moment later when she felt her husband closing in behind her, his chest to her back, his hands resting on either side of her own; resting his forehead on the slender curve of her neck, he once again breathed in the soft smell of her perfume, every fiber of his being relaxing with the action.

Sakura closed her eyes, fighting against the sudden wave of contentment that washed over her, and inhaled deeply. The air smelled lightly of sandalwood, clean and fresh, and it occurred to her then, that it had been quite a long time since she had allowed herself to enjoy such simple things – things that had once meant everything to her.

"What is the matter with you?" she asked quietly after a few moments of peaceful silence, knowing that she could not postpone this conversation any longer.

Sasuke didn't reply at first, which made her wonder whether he had heard her, or simply chosen to ignore her. Just as she was about to repeat her question, though, his voice cut through the silence of the night.

"I don't understand," he replied, and for the first time, she could have sworn she could _hear_ his confusion.

She took a moment to contemplate her answer, before speaking just as quietly as before. "You just… You keep glaring at everybody…acting so standoffish… It's almost out of character – and that's saying something. And you're doing it all because of me. I am sure of that."

"It's not you," he replied as he removed his head from the crook of her neck, his voice gaining back the rough edge she was so used to. "It's them."

Sakura frowned, turning around in his arms so that she was now facing him. "Who's 'them'?" she asked, confused.

"Them," he repeated simply, and then scoffed when he noticed her puzzled expression. "Please, Sakura! Have you not noticed how everybody was looking at you? You captured the attention of every single male attending the wedding when you walked into the scene."

"So, I was right," she concluded immediately. "You _are_ jealous."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "I am not jealous," he firmly denied. "I _know_ you're mine. But the others need to be made aware of that, too. That's the reason why, when we get home tonight, I'm going to give you your wedding band back." He did not quite understand why she avoided meeting his eyes after he said that. It certainly _wasn't_ the reaction he had expected from her.

He had believed she would be happy with the prospect of being given her wedding band back. That was the only thing that could seal their relationship, that could make it even more official; receiving it would have been like getting married all over again – and this time, in the true sense of the word.

But it seemed like, for some reason or another, that was not something she was particularly looking forward to. At least, that was the impression she left him with.

A light gush of warm wind blew past them, sending her pink hair tumbling over her shoulders and falling into her eyes. Without a second thought, the Uchiha reached out with his hand to gently brush the locks away, only to have her roughly swap it away.

"Stop it, Sasuke," she growled softly, visibly upset.

Said person frowned, taken aback by her suddenly-hostile attitude. "What's your problem?"

Once again, he tried to touch her, and again, she recoiled.

"Get your hands off me," she snapped, confusing him even more.

"I thought you liked it when I put my hands on you," he argued.

"I do like it," she told him, her tone firm. "But when you do it because you want to _touch_ me, not to mark your freaking territory. What's next? You'll piss on me?"

"Sakura – " he tried to speak, but she immediately cut him off.

"I don't like this side of you, Sasuke," she said. "You're glaring at every man who's looking at me, who's talking to me, no matter who that man might be. You think I haven't noticed all these little gestures of yours? You think I haven't noticed how, every time someone approaches me, you either step in front of me, or touch me in a way that says 'back off, she's mine'?

"Well, newsflash!" she snapped. "I _did_ notice. And yes, I _am_ yours. But that's because I _chose_ to be yours. I don't know why, but I did. Try not to fuck it up, will you?" With that, she swiftly turned back around, the harshness in her movements and the coldness obvious in her posture forcing him to take a step back, ending any type of physical contact that might have still existed between them.

A heavy silence stretched over them, time in which Sakura simply stared out at the calm water extending before her, the only sounds between them being that of the wind whooshing through the trees and the waves crashing gently against the stones on the shore.

Sasuke reached out for her after a while, hesitantly touching her shoulder, unsure of what to do, of what to say. He would have never thought that his behavior was bothering her so much. Truth to be told, he _still_ could not understand why it did. After all, it wasn't like he had actually lunged for the throat of those men, and it certainly wasn't like he didn't have the _right_ to at least glare at them.

But if she believed he had exaggerated, then there was nothing he could do about that. It was her opinion – and he had witnessed firsthand just how stubborn she could be.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, genuinely regretful of having caused this situation.

The pinkette heaved a sigh, her small frame relaxing under his touch. "You don't even know what you're apologizing for, Sasuke," she told him quietly.

"I'm possessive and you don't like it," he said. "I get that."

"It's not that I don't like it," she argued. "It's just that…you're exaggerating. This possessiveness of yours is bordering on distrust, on suspicion. And you have no reason to doubt me, because you know I would never cheat on you." She paused, breathing in shakily. "I'm scared that…that this will end up ruining us – ruining everything we've tried so hard to build."

No sooner had those words gotten out of her mouth that Sasuke had already wrapped his strong arms around her, his face burying itself in the crook of her neck. Whether this action was supposed to soothe him, or his wife, he did not know.

What he _did_ know, however, was that, all of a sudden, giving her the wedding band back didn't sound quite so appealing. It just didn't feel right anymore.

~•~

Later that night, the Uchiha expertly pulled into the driveway of their house, his driving smooth as always as he slowly brought the car to a full stop.

Sakura briefly wondered just how exactly he always managed to remain so calm behind the wheel; she still had some difficulty parking sometimes, and her driving was still rather jerky, despite all the years of experience she had behind her. But everything seemed to come naturally to her husband; he seemed to be good at basically everything, and while she would usually consider that particular piece of information to be annoying, it now happened to have a strange soothing effect on her.

That was pretty much the only discernable thought her tired mind could produce at that point. Her head was full of images and words, and all of them flashed through it at such lightening speed, that she could barely understand where they began and where they ended. She was exhausted, barely able to stand up on her own anymore.

Thankfully, her husband was there to support her when she slowly got out of the car, nearly tripping over her own feet.

"Easy there," he chuckled, obviously amused, and making no effort at all to hide it.

Unlike Sakura, he seemed perfectly fine, fresh as if he had just stepped out of the damn shower, ready to go on the entire night if he were asked to.

The pinkette rolled her eyes. "Shut up," she grumbled, but allowed him to lead the way up the stairs, his arm wrapped protectively around her waist. He only let go of her for a second, as he fished his keys out of his pocket and unlocked the front door, and then he was back at supporting her, handling her carefully, as if she were some kind of precious, antique object.

"For a party-girl who came home at three in the morning once, I sure expected you to hold up better," he remarked teasingly when they entered the foyer, which earned him a weak punch to his stomach.

Chuckling lightly, more than a little amused with her antics, he once again detached his arm from around her, making sure her equilibrium was in order, before turning around to close the door behind him.

"It's your fault," she accused him sleepily as she slowly began to make her way across the foyer, bending down for a moment to take her shoes off, one at a time, and unceremoniously tossing them aside.

With a sigh and a slight shake of his head, Sasuke gathered the items she had left behind and followed her into the living room, throwing them on the couch on which she was currently slumped.

"You're exhausting, you know that?" she told him in a small, but completely sincere voice, as she half-opened her green eyes to gaze at him.

Sasuke raised a curious, amused eyebrow. "Is that so?"

"Yes!" she exclaimed, her voice dangerously close to a whine, as she hoisted her legs up on the couch, stretching them in front of her. "And because of you, my legs are aching!"

"Actually, I am quite sure that's because of your heels," he told her, titling his head to the side to indicate the mentioned items. Upon hearing that, the pinkette glared at him and opened her mouth to retort, but snapped it back shut when he sat down next to her, slipping her legs onto his lap. "But just so you realize just how good of a husband I am…" He paused for a moment, his eyes positively gleaming with mischief as he leaned in closer. "Do you want me to make you forget about the pain?" he asked suggestively, resting his forehead against hers in a playful manner.

Sakura groaned, pulling away. "See what I mean?" she asked, rolling her eyes. "I'm here, telling you that I'm tired, that my feet hurt, implying that I want to go to sleep, and you're—Stop it!" Her speech was cut off, broken into a laugh as he leaned in even closer and she ended up having to flop down on her back in an effort to avoid him. When that happened, Sasuke comfortably accommodated himself on top of her, moving her legs so that they rested on either side of his hips, most of his weight being supported by his strong arms.

"Do you really want me to stop?" he asked, a playful edge to his voice, as he nuzzled her neck, placing butterfly kisses on her soft skin.

"Yes!" she replied enthusiastically, though he could easily tell she was not being serious; truth to be told, neither was he. "Sasuke, that tickles!" She giggled as her hands found their way into his silky hair.

Raising his head, Sasuke brought his face closer to hers and kissed her softly, his lips moving over hers in a languid manner, showing no intention whatsoever of deepening their connection anytime soon.

It was weird, he would not deny, but sometimes…sometimes he just felt this unexplainable urge to be gentle with her, to simply kiss her, with absolutely no hidden intentions or touches of sexuality; sometimes, he just wanted to feel her lips on his… Just like he sometimes wanted to hug her, to touch her, to be next to her.

And one more thing he had recently discovered he loved (a thing that had nothing to do with sex): sleeping in with her. He had tried it only once, on Friday – the day before the wedding – when he had decided that if his partner was not going to set foot inside the company at all that day, he could also loosen up and simply pay a visit there later in the afternoon.

Bottom line, it had been one of the best mornings of his entire life, and saying that he was not looking forward to a repeat of it would make him into a huge liar.

…Not that he would ever admit that, though.

A sudden, sharp intake of breath from Sakura's part snapped him out of his daze, and he instantly broke the kiss, afraid that he might somehow be hurting her without realizing it. True enough, there was a painful crease between her eyebrows, and her forest-green eyes were shut tightly, her face contorted in what he could only assume to be a grimace.

"What's wrong?" he demanded as he sat up, a small frown making its appearance on his features as his eyes narrowed in concern. Offering her one of his hands, he helped her up, rubbing her shoulder gently as she slowly untangled her legs from around his hips and placed them back on the floor, her hands digging into the soft plush of the couch.

"Nothing," she answered after a moment, her voice soft and quiet, tense as though she were holding something back.

"Don't fuck with me, Sakura," he hissed, his worry spiking in all directions and manifesting, as always, into anger. "You're in pain," he stated confidently, "and way too pale. Tell me what's going on."

"Well, I think I might be getting my period, but I figured you wouldn't be interested in that!" she snapped back, lifting her gaze from the floor and glaring at him.

She was not quite sure why she had yelled at him like that, and she found herself instantly regretting it. He was just showing his concern, she knew.

A flash of surprise showed into his eyes at her outburst, before quickly disappearing under that façade he always wore, but it had been enough – she had noticed it. With a soft sigh, the pinkette slumped over and rested her elbows on her knees, burying her hands into her hair. Just as she opened her mouth to apologize, he spoke, cutting her off.

"Well…you women take pills for that, right?" His voice was hesitant and clearly showed that he was uncomfortable, which made a small smile tug at lips. Looking up at him, she had to bite her lip in order to keep from giggling out loud at the obvious confusion displayed on his features. He was clearly out of his element, and just so damn cute, that for a moment, she forgot everything about the dull pain in her abdomen.

"Yeah," she answered after a brief moment of silence, her voice soft. "We do. I'll take one later."

For a moment, she simply watched him. Watched his tense posture, his uncomfortable expression. Watched the way his black eyes showed small, barely-there hints of concern – something she hadn't seen in them for quite a long time now. Then she chuckled softly and swiftly brought her legs back up onto his lap, grinning up at him.

"You know what I think?" she asked mischievously, her green eyes glimmering as they gazed into his. Sasuke looked down at her, an eyebrow raised in curiosity. "I think weddings as quite a turn on…" she confessed, smiling sweetly, "…if I'm being completely honest. And of course, leaving aside any side-effects, like tiredness and stuff."

If she was going to be unavailable (so to say) for the next few days, then she might as well make the best out of the little time she had left, right?

Upon hearing that, Sasuke's eyebrow raised again, but in amusement this time. "Is that so?" he asked.

Biting her lower lip lightly, the pinkette nodded, and then giggled as he pushed her back so that she was once again lying on the couch, being visibly more careful this time.

"You're a little devil, you know that?" he told her, a small smirk pulling at his lips, their eyes locked in a heated, yet still affectionate, gaze. "An insatiable one," he promptly added, before she could respond.

Her next words, whispered seductively in his ear, made him shiver and growl possessively, prompting the realization of just how much of her innocence had been tainted by him…and how much he liked the thought of it.

"When you can't handle me anymore… all you have to do is let me know."

And just like that, they were back to what they did best. All the drama and the emotions they had experienced during the day… none of those had a place here. That was probably one of the many reasons why they had sex so often – it was a good way of running away from all of their problems.

But neither of them was ever sufficiently aware in order to realize that. Realize that nothing felt truly right when they weren't a tangled mess of naked limbs, too exhausted to move, speak, or even think.

Something was not right in their relationship. In the back of their minds and hearts, they both knew it. Be that Sasuke's distrust, or Sakura's insecurities, they couldn't tell for sure. And, truth to be told, they didn't even want to. Maybe that was because they were both afraid that talking it out would ruin what they had tried so hard to build in the past few months; or maybe it was simply because they considered they had had enough drama and craved this easy comfort, if only for a little while.

Whatever the reason, it didn't truly matter. At least not for now…and, most definitely, not in moments like these.

~•~

"You know, I love it when you do this…" she murmured, obviously distracted.

"When I do what?" he asked, only half-interested, his voice slightly muffled as his lips sought hers persistently.

"When you pick me up and carry me around, kissing me," she answered, breathless. "I can't tell how you manage not to bump into walls and stuff."

They were at it again. It was Wednesday, and Sasuke had dropped off from work during his lunch break, feeling unusually – but insanely – needy for her.

When the opportunity arose, the decision of foregoing eating for an hour with his wife was immediately taken, and although he was not a fan of hasty choices, he knew he had made the right one. He had known it from the moment it had first popped into his mind, and he knew it now, as he gently dropped her on the bed, enticed by the way her pink locks spread across the white pillow.

Eyes half-opened, darkened with lust, she stared up at him, her chest rising and falling with her erratic breathing. Swiftly taking his shirt off, he joined her on the mattress, covering her lithe body with his own, his weight supported mostly by his forearms, which he had placed on either side of her head.

Placing a light kiss on her plump lips, he slowly made his way along her jaw and down the slender column of her neck, earning soft sounds of pleasure from the pinkette.

"Can you…?" he murmured quietly into her skin, breathing in her intoxicating scent, as his teeth sunk down on her most sensitive spot.

Shuddering underneath him, her mouth opened to let out the most delicious sounds he had ever heard in his life, Sakura did not quite understand what he was asking of her. Truth to be told, at that point, she couldn't even bring herself to care.

"Yes," she gasped out, saying the only word – aside from his name – that came to her mind, her hands tugging desperately at his midnight locks.

It was only a good few minutes later that his question finally registered into her mind. By that time, she was already naked, except for her underwear.

.

_"I don't feel that well," she confessed in a whisper, still not looking at him._

_The Uchiha frowned. "You don't look sick," he told her, confused. Then realization hit him. "Have you eaten?"_

_The pinkette groaned, feeling her stomach turn unexplainably at the mention of food. "Can we please not talk about that right now?" she pleaded, burying her face further into the pillow. "I'm afraid I'll throw up on you."_

_"Nausea?" he asked, his frown deepening, but his hand caressing the nape of her neck softly._

_Sakura managed to surpass a purr at his actions, instead letting out a soft sigh. "Something like that, I suppose," she replied quietly._

_._

_Sakura slapped a hand on her forehead. "Shut up, Ino," she muttered tersely._

_"I'm just saying." She shrugged. "And again, I hope you're using protection. Because, really, with the amount of 'couplings' you guys have, it won't be long until another Uchiha pops out. And I'm not sure that would be very convenient right now, you know?"_

_"Jesus," the pinkette breathed out, her eyes closed, earning a couple of laughs from her friends._

_._

_"I can't deal with this right now," she told him, her voice soft and breathy. "I don't want to… I don't want to see them, Sasuke."_

_"You alright?" he asked as he reached out for her, no longer interested in getting his way, but in making sure that she wouldn't fall off her feet._

_Sakura frowned lightly, refusing to meet his eyes. "Yeah," she whispered, and brought a hand up to her forehead, shaking her head quickly in an effort to chase the sudden wave of dizziness away. She swayed on her feet slightly, but Sasuke caught her by the forearms and stabilized her before anything bad could happen._

_"Take it easy," he advised, the concern obvious in his voice. "Tell me what's wrong. Have you eaten?"_

_"Yes," she breathed out, her eyes closing on their own accord when he gathered her into his arms, his hand smoothing down her back._

_._

"_You're exhausting, you know that?" she told him in a small, but completely sincere voice, as she half-opened her green eyes to gaze at him. _

_Sasuke raised a curious, amused eyebrow. "Is that so?" _

"_Yes!" she exclaimed, her voice dangerously close to a whine, as she hoisted her legs up on the couch, stretching them in front of her. "And because of you, my legs are aching!"_

_._

"_Don't fuck with me, Sakura," he hissed, his worry spiking in all directions and manifesting, as always, into anger. "You're in pain," he stated confidently, "and way too pale. Tell me what's going on."_

"_Well, I think I might be getting my period, but I figured you wouldn't be interested in that!" she snapped back, lifting her gaze from the floor and glaring at him. _

.

As the realization she should have had a long time ago finally sunk into her mind, she gasped loudly, her hands immediately coming to rest on his chest, hastily pushing him off her in an effort to cut off any kind of physical contact between them. More than a little confused, Sasuke sat up – not thanks to her strength, but to her sudden persistence and desperation.

As soon as he was off her, Sakura scrambled back against the headboard, looking pretty much like a scared deer caught in the headlights as she met his gaze.

"What the fuck, Sakura?" he blurted out, unsure of whether he should feel worried, annoyed, or simply flabbergasted.

"I—I can't," she stammered as she sprung off the bed, the nervousness obvious in her demeanor. She remained with her back to him for a moment more, allowing herself a few seconds to pull herself together, before taking a deep breath and turning to face him once again.

Sasuke frowned. "You can't what?" he demanded.

"I can't have sex with you," the pinkette answered shakily.

Under any other circumstances, she would have been afraid of his reaction, but right now, all she could feel pulsing through her veins was shock. And fear, but for a totally different reason.

"Why the hell not?" he bit out in a tight voice, obviously trying to keep his anger from spilling out of his system.

"Because – " She abruptly stopped, before blurting out the very first thing that came to her mind: "Because I'm on my period, that's why!"

"What the fuck?" he hissed through clenched teeth, swiftly getting off the bed himself. "I asked you about it right before – "

"No, Sasuke," she cut him off. "You asked me if I _could_ do it. And, technically, women _can_ do it while on their period."

He looked positively disgusted upon hearing that, and had the circumstances been any different, she might have even laughed at his expression.

"But I don't want to," she continued, "and I'm pretty sure you don't, either. I got carried away because…well, because you're really good at what you do. You _know_ that," she emphasized with a light shrug. "But now I want to be alone. So, please," she finished, pointing with her hand in the direction of the door.

Sasuke stared back at her, the shock obvious on his features. "Are you fucking serious?" he hissed.

The pinkette lifted her chin and placed her hands on her hips, staring defiantly into his onyx eyes. "Do I look like I'm kidding?" she asked, refusing to show just how much all this was affecting her. Where in the world she had managed to find such strength and confidence in moments like these was beyond her. Regardless, she was grateful for the miracle.

A few moments of silence later, and his shocked gaze turned into a vicious glare. "Fine!" he snapped. "If that's the way you want it, then fine!"

It was only after the door had slammed behind him that Sakura allowed her façade to crumble, her knees giving out and her body collapsing on a heap onto the floor. Bringing a shaky hand to her clammy forehead, she stared ahead of her in shock, her eyes unfocused as her mind processed the conclusion it had only now reached, recalling the past month with an almost unbelievable acuity and clarity.

…How was it possible that she only noticed all this now?

Stumbling to a standing position, the pinkette hurried to the other side of the room, hastily grabbing her phone from the nightstand, her hands shaking as she dialed the number of the only person who she trusted enough to help her in these moments, to provide her with the support she so badly needed.

Placing the device to her ear, she desperately ran her hand through her hair, pulling harshly at the pink locks as she squeezed her eyes shut and prayed for her friend to answer.

"TenTen," she whimpered as soon as the call connected, her eyes involuntary filling with unwanted tears.

"_Oh hey, Saki!"_ her excited voice rang through the phone, nearly ripping a sob from her throat. _"How are you? In fact, forget about formalities. I'm so glad you called! Listen, we arrived in Paris like, yesterday, and it's just __so__ amazing! I – "_

"TenTen," she cut her off, exhaling shakily. "TenTen, I'm pregnant."

* * *

_A/N: Haha, I'm an evil little bitch, right? Is it really wrong of me to say that I've missed these cliff-hangers? 'Cause I really did! _

_I will try to post the following chapter as soon as possible, though. Wouldn't want to leave you guys hanging for long, now would I? However, I don't dare to make any promises on the matter. _

_That being said, I think there's only one thing left to do: review! There are cookies of all kinds waiting to be delivered! _

_See you next time! :)_


	27. All Fall Down

_A/N: Hello, everybody! Here's the long-awaited chapter… Enjoy it!_

_Thank you all so, so much for all your reviews, your support, and your patience! You guys are amazing! …But I think you already knew that! _

_P.S. About Sasuke's age: I prefer to keep the age difference relatively small in my stories, but I needed him to be out of college by the time they got married. So, while Sakura was nineteen, he was twenty-two. Which makes him twenty-five at this point in the story. Well, at least about to turn twenty-five in a few months. _

* * *

_**Incomplete**__  
By The Terrorist_

_**Chapter twenty-seven  
**__All Fall Down_

* * *

_"TenTen," she whimpered as soon as the call connected, her eyes involuntary filling with unwanted tears._

_"__Oh hey, Saki!"__ her excited voice rang through the phone, nearly ripping a sob from her throat. __"How are you? In fact, forget about formalities. I'm so glad you called! Listen, we arrived in Paris like, yesterday, and it's just __so__ amazing! I – "_

_"TenTen," she cut her off, exhaling shakily. "TenTen, I'm pregnant."_

It took a while for the unexpected news to sink into TenTen's shocked mind, and even when they did, they still had to be processed properly. The line was silent for what seemed like an eternity, time in which the brunette tried her hardest to make sense of that simple sentence that had been uttered so brokenly. It was almost unbelievable, how two simple words could hold so much meaning.

Blinking quickly, her eyes refocused, as though she had just snapped out of a daze. "What?" she asked, her voice unusually raspy.

"_Yes,"_ her friend's panicked answer sounded through the phone, confirming her doubts. _"I've been having all these signs, and only now do I realize what they mean."_

Closing her eyes for a brief moment, the brunette took a deep, soothing breath, finding it incredibly hard to understand what the other woman was currently trying to communicate her.

At the wedding, the Uchiha had seemed very calm and relaxed in his wife's presence, and she knew for a fact that Sakura was happy with him. From the very first moment she had called to tell her that she and Sasuke were on the right way to recovery, she had known that she was more than excited at the prospect of starting a new life with him by her side.

Together, they made a beautiful couple and complemented each other perfectly, their personalities clashing in the most beautiful way. The chemistry between them was undeniable. They missed each other like crazy when they were apart, and when they finally reunited, everything about their demeanors seemed to change – for the better.

Just as she had told her husband, a sly whisper in his ear as she watched the couple cuddle from across the table, they would definitely be very happy together.

But they were not ready to be parents, and the way Sakura's voice shook as she spoke only served to further confirm that.

Swallowing heavily, the brunette moved away from the railing and quietly slid the balcony door closed, not wanting her husband to overhear this conversation.

"Are you sure?" she asked, her voice soft and quiet, as though she were afraid of the answer.

"_No," _the pinkette answered, and by the way she sounded, TenTen could easily tell that she was crying. _"I mean, yes," _she quickly clarified. _"But I haven't confirmed it yet. I didn't take a test or anything."_

"You have to," she advised softly.

"_I know," _her friend sniffled quietly. _"God, I'm so sorry for calling you on your honeymoon to tell you about my problems, but I just don't know what to do…" _she trailed off, a sob involuntary ripping from her throat, and TenTen suddenly wished she was there to comfort her. Sakura had been through so much… She didn't deserve this, as well. Why was life so intent on playing with her like this?

"Don't worry about it, Sakura," she reassured her. "I'm your friend. And I'm glad you called me," she said, her voice dripping with sincerity. "But how did this happen? Did you guys not…use anything?"

On the other line, the pinkette scoffed quietly. _"Of course we did," _she said. _"I'm on the pill."_

TenTen's eyes brightened momentarily. "Then why are you so worried?" she chided softly. "It's probably just the stress taking its tool on you. Pregnancy symptoms can be so easily mistaken that it's almost laughable."

"_It's not that easy, TenTen," _she sobbed. _"I… That night, when we first did it, I wasn't…I wasn't on anything,"_ she confessed silently, as if ashamed.

"What?" the brunette hissed, shocked. "Sakura, you told me you knew that was going to happen! You told me you knew you and Sasuke would get to that!"

"_I did,"_ she cried, frustrated. "_I just… He took me completely by surprise with his invitation and everything… I didn't have the chance – or time – to go to the pharmacy to get myself birth control pills, TenTen!"_

"What about the morning after pill?" she asked.

"_Who the hell thought about that in the morning, TenTen?" _she snapped.

The brunette bristled. "You're the one who should have, Sakura," she hissed.

"_I know!" _she wailed. _"I just never thought I'd be this unlucky!"_

"You can't just assume this kind of things, Sakura," her friend scolded. "It's about a child. A new life."

Upon hearing that, Sakura sobbed loudly into the phone, and TenTen instantly regretted having been so harsh with her. Because she may have made a mistake, but nothing could change the fact that she really didn't deserve to suffer such heavy consequences. Her eyes softening and her posture slumping in defeat, the brunette sighed quietly and redirected her gaze towards the beautiful Paris skyline.

"What are you going to do now?" she asked softly.

"_I don't know," _the pinkette whispered, sniffling quietly. _"God, what will Sasuke say?"_

"I'm not sure your biggest problem right now is him, Sakura," she said. "I understood he likes kids."

"_Yeah, right,"_ Sakura scoffed. _"Sasuke barely likes humans in general! And besides…this really isn't the right time to bring a child into this world, TenTen. We're not even together properly! We're just fucking!"_

"Calm down, Sakura," the brunette advised, trying her hardest to think rationally, since it was obvious that her friend was in no condition to do that for herself. "Listen to me: go to the pharmacy and buy a pregnancy test. Hell, buy more than one! Take them, and if they're positive, try not to freak out. There's nothing you can do to remedy the situation now, and you don't have to tell Sasuke right away if you don't want to. But when you do, please make sure you two have a really long discussion. Getting along is essential if you're going to be parents. Who knows? Maybe this child will bring you two together!"

"_And what if he doesn't want it, TenTen?"_ she sobbed again, her desperation almost palpable, even through the phone. _"What if he makes me – "_

"Sakura!" she hissed, swiftly interrupting her. "No matter the circumstances, don't forget that this is Sasuke we're talking about. He may be a cold-hearted asshole, but he would never do such a thing."

A sudden, soft noise from inside the hotel room attracted her attention, stopping her from saying anything else. Turning around, she saw her husband shuffling around, and she knew it was time to hang up, preferably before he noticed her speaking on the phone. She had never quite managed the art of lying to him, so she preferred not to have any explanations to give him, in the first place.

"Look, I have to go," she said, a bit hurriedly. "I'll call you later today to see how things went, alright?"

"_Yeah,"_ her friend answered with yet another sniffle. _"Thank you, TenTen."_

The brunette shook her head. "Don't thank me, Saki," she said. "Take care. Love you."

"_Love you too,"_ she replied. _"Bye."_

~•~

"Okay," Sakura said firmly to herself, exhaling slowly as she stood in front of the mirror, her hands resting on the marble counter in front of her. "I need to calm down," she told herself, knowing perfectly well that, at this point, it wouldn't take much to send her headfirst into a nervous breakdown.

After she had managed to pull herself together – to the degree where she wouldn't burst into tears every time she thought about the possible consequences of her reckless behavior – she absentmindedly slipped a random dress over her head and a pair of matching shoes on her feet, before stumbling out of the house, determined not to jump to conclusions before she had the proof of her pregnancy right in front of her eyes. TenTen was right – the symptoms could be very easily mistaken.

But despite the fact that she had kept repeating that phrase to herself over and over during the entire ride to the pharmacy, Sakura could now barely remember how she had gotten there. She had been a pack of nerves, buzzing with anticipation, and were someone to tell her that she had broken the speed limit for the first time in years, she wouldn't be too surprised.

The saleswoman had assured her that the tests were 99% positive when used correctly, and Sakura had believed her, making a small mental note to thoroughly follow the instructions written on the boxes. It was needless to say that the woman had looked at her as though she were crazy when she handed her basket. Then again, she did have almost half a rack stored inside of it, so it was no wonder.

But for once, Sakura could actually care less about appearances. She needed to find out what was happening to her as soon as possible, so that she would have time to make decisions…or cry her heart out for being so damn stupid and careless. Regardless, banal worries about others' opinion of her had no place in her life right now.

And now here she was, locked up in her bathroom, staring at herself in the mirror and waiting for the indicated time to pass…all of the while trying to gather up the courage to actually _look_ at the stick lying innocently on the edge of the sink.

"I can't be pregnant," she spoke out loud, trying to reassure herself for what felt like the millionth time since she took the test. "Well, actually, I could. But I'm not. This is just…" she trailed off, closing her eyes. "My period has been late before. And one night unprotected…that's like, a one in a million chance. And I can't be that unlucky. I can't," she stressed out, her voice breaking.

"Gosh, what am I going to do with a baby?" she cried as she turned around and walked away from the mirror, her hands immediately finding their way into her already tangled hair.

Sakura had always wanted to be a mother. Just like any other teenage girl, she had dreamed of a happy time in the future, when she would be married to a handsome man who loved her more than anything in the world, a man who would protect her from everything and everyone, who would always put her first. She had dreamed of a cozy home, of a passionate intimacy, of perfectly compatible personalities, of absolute trust and sincerity.

She had dreamed of times when her husband would come home from work and find her in front of her fireplace, curled up on the couch with a good book. The snow falling gently outside, he would snuggle in next to her, and she would abandon her lecture in exchange for hot chocolate and hours spent talking, sharing kisses and light, meaningful touches.

She had dreamed of traveling around the world together, of finding joy in each and every new corner discovered. She had dreamed of always waking up safely tucked into the warmth, comfort, and protection of his strong arms.

And of course, she had dreamed of children. She had never wanted too many. Two were enough – perfect, actually. A boy and a girl, two little human beings that she would love with every fiber of her being, that she would constantly shower with love and attention. Two little human beings to whom she would give everything her parents had denied her. She would be a good mother, she had believed. Because, while she might not have had the perfect example back home, she had surely had one she did not want to follow.

She had always thought children would be a source of joy in her newly-formed family. She used to dream of the moment when she would tell her husband that she was pregnant, that they were going to be parents. In her dreams, he would always be ecstatic at the prospect, no matter the way in which she would choose to inform him of it.

She had it all planned out. Their first child would be a girl – a daddy's little girl who would have her father wrapped around her finger. She would be spoiled rotten and loved like no other child – just the thing she had always wanted from her own father. And then, about a year or two later, they would have a little boy. A boy who would admire his father, who would look up at him and strive to follow his example, but who would always come to her when he encountered problems. A boy who would look after his sister just like Seiji had done with her.

In her dreams, they would be the happiest family. They would have problems, alright, because every couple and every family did, but they would always get over them, would always find their way back to happiness and perfection.

A lot of things happened in her dreams. And she had yet to understand what she had done wrong for none of them to come true.

Because here she was, twenty-two years old, unable to pull herself together and peak at the pregnancy test, afraid of the possible result, terrified of her husband's possible reaction.

Unwanted, her thoughts soon wandered down another path. Would she really be a good mother? Sure, she hoped she would. But she had long since come to terms with the fact that dreams were one thing, and reality another. And the reality of this situation, no matter how harsh, was that she had never even held a child in her arms.

She had aww'ed and smiled whenever she saw one, but that was as far as her knowledge in this domain went. And that scared her beyond what words could describe. Because taking care of a baby, of such a small, defenseless creature, was such a big responsibility…a responsibility she wasn't sure she was ready for. How would she deal with that?

Unconsciously, her hand ran down her firm abdomen. Right there, inside of her…there could be another living being. Her child. Sasuke's child. It was likely they were going to be parents… No. No! What was she saying? That couldn't be!

Whipping back around, she practically threw herself at the counter, grabbing the stick with both of her hands.

"A blue line," she murmured, her voice shaking. "What the fuck does the blue line mean?" Reaching for the box lying sideways on the counter, she quickly grabbed it, nearly dropping it in her haste to turn it over so that she could re-read the instructions. "Not pregnant." She exhaled heavily as soon as the realization sunk in, her tense posture sagging with relief. "Good. That's exactly what I wanted to see."

Words couldn't even begin to describe the array of emotions that exploded within her in that moment. Until her eyes landed on the stick once again, and caught the faint outline of another line beginning to color.

"Come on," she whispered, half-shocked, half-scared, her heart clenching. "Don't do this," she begged silently.

"Damn it!" she cursed loudly, throwing the test into the trash can. Angrily wiping her tears with the back of her hand, she quickly made her way to her purse, hastily opening it and rummaging through its contents in search for another test. "This can't be happening," she muttered as she tore open the package, looking at the currently blank stick.

Turned out, it could. That was the conclusion she reached – a conclusion that, although she had hoped it would be false, she had actually reached _hours_ before – 10 minutes later, when she found herself staring, yet again, at two blue lines that almost seemed to mock her.

"Oh my God," she breathed out, her vision blurring as she slid down the wall behind her, slumping into a graceless heap on the floor. The stick fell from her hand and cluttered next to her, unnoticed.

Her body shaking uncontrollably, she could only stare blankly at the wall in front of her, watching her entire life falling apart before her eyes. Years of heartbreak, months of tears, weeks of pain, of happiness, of complete and utter bliss, of anger and annoyance, of love and completeness… She saw them all crumble before her. And all because of _one_ mistake.

"I'm pregnant," she whispered to herself, her tears spilling over her already blotched face as her hands found their way back into her hair, pulling at the pink locks harshly. "God, I'm pregnant," she sobbed, her face burying itself into her knees. "…What do I do now?"

~•~

Much later that day, Sasuke finally arrived back home. The company wasn't exactly going through one of its best phases, and now that Neji was gone on his so-called honeymoon, he had to deal with everything on his own. Which was kind of hard, truth to be told, since there were so many problems to solve and so many things to do, in the midst of which all he wanted to do was go home to his wife.

…The same wife that had blatantly rejected him at lunch.

And to think he had actually been considerate enough to _ask_ before proceeding with doing anything remotely sexual! Hn. Who the hell understood women, anyway?

Releasing a quiet sigh, the Uchiha pushed the front door open and entered the foyer, careful so that it wouldn't slam behind him, since he was pretty sure his wife was already asleep; lately, she seemed to enjoy doing that quite a lot. He was proved wrong when he entered the living room, though.

There she was, curled up in a little ball on the couch, her black and white dress carefully arranged so that it covered most of her thighs. A pillow was under her head, another one in her arms, her strappy black heels set neatly on the ground next to the couch, while her apple-green eyes remained fixed on the flat screen attached to the wall.

He frowned lightly at the sight, unsure of what she was doing there. Was she waiting for him to come back home?

"Sakura?" he asked in order to get her attention, slowly taking off his jacket and throwing it on a nearby armchair. Having clearly not expected to hear it, the pinkette gasped loudly at the sound of his voice, quickly jumping into a sitting position. Keen as ever, Sasuke found that strange for a variety of reasons, but decided to ignore it for the time being. "Why aren't you sleeping?" he questioned softly as he sat down next to her, reaching out to tuck a lock of pink hair behind her ear. "It's past midnight."

"I…" she started, but ended up trailing off, unsure of how to answer him. Truth to be told, she had been trying to go to sleep ever since she took those pregnancy tests and found out they were positive, but she had yet to be successful in her attempts. Once or twice, it had even occurred to her to take some medicines that would help her shut her brain off, but thankfully, she had managed to slap some sense into herself before she could make such a mistake. After all, whether she wanted or not, she was now responsible for two; she couldn't run away from her problems like she used to do before.

But she was well aware of that fact that she could not tell Sasuke all that. She had already decided that this child would be her little secret until she considered herself to be mentally and emotionally stable, capable of handling the situation; it would be only then that she could afford to get another person involved, especially if that person was as volatile as her husband when it came to mood-swings and emotions.

"I didn't notice," she eventually answered, avoiding meeting her gaze. From the corner of her eye, she saw him nod slightly, and she inwardly thanked God that he wouldn't press on the matter anymore.

Instead, his eyes moved to the coffee table, and he chuckled when he saw the empty ice-cream bucket. "You eat more ice-cream than any other person I've met, you know?" he told her, smirking as he remembered the past few weeks and how she seemed to prefer chocolate ice-cream over dinner.

Of course, he had intended that to be nothing more than a teasing remark, but his wife took it to a whole new level. Involuntary, she stiffened, and her eyes snapped up to meet his, fear shining in them. Could it be that…that he was slowly starting to realize what was going on? The symptoms she'd had were unmistakable, and while she had no reason to assume that her husband knew anything related to pregnancy, Sakura couldn't help but feel a little paranoid. She tried her best to hide that, but she knew for a fact that her nervousness didn't work in her favor.

"I'm going to bed," she hastily announced and quickly stood up, not having the necessary patience to even wait for his answer. Sasuke didn't express the confusion he felt towards her actions vocally, but she could feel his intense gaze resting on her back, and she hurried to leave the room, scared that he might begin to question her if she gave him any time to spare.

She had just reached the top of the stairs, and was grateful that this scene would soon be over, when she felt the pain in her abdomen suddenly return, only increased tenfold this time. Before she could stop herself, she cried out, tears springing to her eyes as she held onto the banister for dear life.

Startled by the sound of her distressed voice, Sasuke quickly turned around, his heart clenching painfully in his chest at the sight of her hunched-over posture.

Yelling her name, he practically flew by her side, catching her just in time, before she hit the floor; keeping her steady with his hands on her forearms, he gently lowered her so that she was sitting on the stairs, his worried gaze searching her pale features for anything that could give away what she was currently feeling.

"Sakura," he repeated insistently and cupped her face within his hands, trying to meet her gaze, but not quite managing to because of her pink locks, which obscured his vision of her face. "For God's sake, what the hell just happened?"

Instead on answering his question, the pinkette muttered a quiet curse under her breath, her arms wrapped tightly around her middle section; for some reason or another, she felt like she couldn't breathe properly, and she leaned into her husband, resting her head on his broad shoulder, hoping that the contact would soothe her somehow.

Soon enough, the tears returned and she began to cry silently, not because of the pain, but because of the unbearably fucked-up situation she had managed to land herself in.

Clueless, the Uchiha wrapped his arms around her, careful not to use too much force when he drew her towards him, and began to rub his hand up and down her back, murmuring soothing words in her ear – words that, unbeknownst to him, only made her cry harder.

It was unbearably hard for Sakura to know that she was pregnant and still have to go through it without Sasuke's support.

A part of her was screaming at her that, damn it, this was all her fault, and that she could make it better by simply telling him the truth, but the pinkette knew better than to listen to it. She was not ready to share this news with him, and another wrong step was probably the only thing needed for this relationship to crumble to pieces.

As much as it pained her, she had to take things slowly, to wait for the right moment…and maybe, if she had the opportunity, to even morally _prepare_ her husband for such news. Because, really, she highly doubted that his plans for the near future (or maybe even for the future, period) included a child.

"Sakura… Baby, what's wrong?" he asked as he gently pulled back, cupping her tear-stained face within his hands.

The pinkette knew for a fact that the pain was, to some extent, quite normal, so with all the problems that haunted her mind, she dared not to worry too much about it. Not that she knew many things about pregnancy and everything that it entailed, but she was sure that the way her body accommodated to the presence of another living being inside of it should be painful. As the baby grew, the tissues altered, and there was a certain pressure placed on ligaments and organs. At least, that was what she _supposed_ things were like. But what if…what if something really was wrong?

She had to see a medic soon – that was for sure. But she dreaded the idea of going alone… Would Sasuke want to accompany her? Would he _know_ by that time? Would she be able to gather her courage and tell him about this in only a matter of days? She didn't know. She didn't know, and it was killing her. She couldn't remember a time when her future had looked this uncertain.

"Sakura, you're worrying me." His gentle voice snapped her out of her thoughts, and it was only then that she realized that she had yet to answer his question. "I'm calling the doctor," he stated, standing up.

"No!" She immediately reacted at his words, grabbing at one of his hands with both of hers. "No! Please don't!" she begged, looking up at him in a pleading manner. "Don't call the doctor. I'm alright, I promise."

"Sakura, for fuck's sake!" he yelled, snatching his hand away. "You've been feeling like shit for the past three weeks! You're weak and lazy and pale! You fall off your feet and feel nauseous and – "

"I know!" she interrupted him, her voice holding an almost desperate edge to it. "I know, but that's how I get."

Sasuke frowned down at her. "Excuse me?" he asked, more angry than confused.

"That's how I get when…when I'm about to get my period," she explained. "I feel really bad, and I'm moody, and…well, you know…the whole deal."

He remained quiet after he had heard her explanation, his eyes studying her features in an almost clinical manner, as if searching for any sign that she might be lying, and she felt a fleeting sense of panic as she realized that he might not take her seriously and still decide to call the doctor.

After a few tension-filled moments, however, the Uchiha sighed quietly and crouched back down in front of her, one of his hands reaching out to smooth her hair away from her face.

"Is that why you cried?" he asked. "You're in pain?"

"Yeah," the pinkette lied, avoiding meeting his eyes. "It hurts really badly sometimes… Please don't call the doctor."

With yet another sigh, he cupped her face into his hands and leaned in, placing a soft kiss onto her forehead.

Sakura closed her eyes in contentment, barely resisting the urge to bury herself into his protective arms once again.

"I don't want anything to happen to you," he said sincerely as he pulled back, gazing deep into her eyes.

Then he swiftly stood up and made his way upstairs, leaving her alone in the darkness of the room. Defeated, the pinkette looked after him, silently watching as he disappeared down the hallway, the soft sound of his door closing reaching her ears only moments later. Turning her gaze back to the floor, she bit her lip.

She wanted so badly to run after him, to snuggle under the covers with him, to feel his strong arms encircle her waist… But they had never cuddled without having sex first, and it was obvious that there was no way that was going to happen tonight. The simple thought of how he might react to her creeping into his bedroom scared her, and the harsh truth was, she was in no condition to handle his possible rejection.

Which was exactly the reason why, after having gathered her shoes and turned off the TV, she made her way back to her room, and not his.

* * *

_A/N: So, yeah. I think this is the shortest chapter I've written in a while… And I feel kind of bad for taking so long to finish it. I've spoiled you guys, and quite frankly, I intended to keep on doing so, but the chapter had to end somewhere, and this just happened to be the perfect place. _

_As per usual, you can find pictures of Sakura's outfit on my profile. _

_And now, review please! I have cookies!_


	28. Easier Said than Done

_A/N: Hey, everybody! I think you're getting rather tired of reading this, but…sorry for the long wait! School got in the way…again. Anyhow, here's chapter twenty-eight. Enjoy! _

_One of you asked me whether I had a Naruto Forums account – I don't. As for Sakura's reaction…I admit, it might have been a little too dramatic, but look at it this way: she's hurt, confused, and the news took her by surprise. Her relationship with Sasuke isn't very stable, and she doesn't want to ruin their still fragile bond. At least that's the way I saw things when I wrote the scene; I thought this could help you understand her better. Hope it worked!_

_P.S. Thank you all so, so much for all your support – for your reviews, for your patience, for your wonderful words that never fail to bring a smile to my face. I love you!_

* * *

_**Incomplete  
**__By The Terrorist_

_**Chapter twenty-eight  
**__Easier Said than Done_

* * *

"Miss Sakura!" Yuki's overly-excited voice greeted her upon her entrance in the dining room, forcing any last trace of sleep out of her system. "Shall I bring you breakfast?" she chirped happily.

Despite not being in the best of moods, the pinkette couldn't help but smile at her obvious enthusiasm. She and Sasuke didn't always have breakfast at home, and Yuki wasn't always there, but when they did and she was, she liked to serve it herself.

"Yes, Yuki," she agreed, nodding lightly as she took a seat at the table, next to her husband, who seemed to be engrossed in checking his e-mails on his Blackberry. "Thanks."

A few days had passed since Sakura found out that she was pregnant, and she had yet to gather her courage to tell her husband about it.

She had had a few attempts, but all of them had failed miserably, gone to hell before she could even get the first word out of her mouth. Every time she walked up to him, determined to lift this weight off her shoulders, she ended up stuttering, looking away and changing the subject, blaming everything on stress and tiredness.

And the worst part of this whole situation was the fact that she knew that it was all her fault. She was the woman – it was her job to protect herself. That night…she had known what they would end up doing. She should have started taking the pill right then and there, no matter how strange it would have seemed to her husband. Because, how in the world was she now supposed to explain this mess to him? He had obviously assumed she was protecting herself, since it was painfully obvious that a child had no place in his life right now.

His possible reaction freaked her out, really. She didn't know what to do, and as if that weren't enough, she was afraid that the extent of this situation had not reached her yet. She didn't feel like a mother. She didn't feel like someone – a little human being – was growing inside of her. Where was the radiant happiness every woman talked about? Because all she felt, all she saw…were problems. And it hurt so damn much, knowing that she could not enjoy these little moments, that this child's fate – this creature that, honestly speaking, was not at fault for anything – was uncertain.

Sasuke, on the other hand, found his wife's behavior to be particularly weird nowadays. While they had never been the inseparable type, he was not at all pleased to admit that he had not seen much of her over the course of the past few days. He only saw her in the morning – and that, only when he was lucky enough; when he arrived home in the evening, he usually had the unpleasant surprise to find out that she was not waiting up for him, like she once used to. She went to sleep early, locked herself up in her room, and call him a coward, but he never really dared to knock, to enter, to see what was happening.

She never invited him, seeming to refuse to spend some quality time with him, the physical contact between them limited to the occasional kiss and accidental touch, and she felt like she was slipping away from him, further and further with each day. And it worried him, really. It worried him, because he knew something was wrong. What he did not know was how exactly to approach the problem. He was not good with this. Dealing with upset women and awkward situations were not his thing, and even though he was trying, his efforts didn't seem to pay off much.

Take this situation, for example. It was one of the first times he had actually bothered to have breakfast with her, and he had honestly expected her look a little happier – or at least show a little more emotion. But she looked plain tired. And she had come downstairs dressed in only a robe…seriously, when did Sakura do such things? Maybe in the evening, when it was hot outside and her usual clothes suffocated her, but at the beginning of the day, she was always dressed nicely, and had her hair and make-up done… Just what exactly was going on with her, huh?

"What are you cooking, Yuki?" he asked, despite the fact that he already knew, hoping to lighten the mood with his question. After all, Sakura seemed to be rather fond of sweets lately.

Yuki's answer was immediate, cheerful and happy as always. "Pancakes, Sir," she announced.

The pinkette felt her stomach make a weird flip at the mere mention of the sweet breakfast, but she ignored it, choosing instead to focus on Sasuke's concern-clad voice.

"You feeling any better?" he addressed her.

She nodded without hesitation, even though it was a lie. "Yeah," she said.

"You look sick," he pointed out in that blunt way of his. Had the circumstances been any different, she would have smiled.

"Well, I…" she tried to explain, but ended up trailing off, unable to find the right words. "I just don't think I can eat any more sweets," she finally said, avoiding his gaze.

Sasuke frowned. "You've been eating a lot of them lately."

"Yeah," she agreed, "but I'm kind of sick of them." She shrugged, looking up at him. "I mean, it's good to eat sweets while you're on your period, but too much is too much, even for me."

One would say she was digging her own grave by feeding him such lies, but Sasuke was so innocent and so entirely clueless when it came to women's problems, that it had proved incredibly easy to blame all of her pregnancy symptoms on her supposed period. She could probably tell him anything right now, and he would still believe it.

Of course, the way he seemed to back off every time this came up was another advantage, one that ensured she wouldn't let the cat out of the bag without even realizing it. Because, no matter the circumstances, her husband would always be paying attention to the most insignificant of the details – that was one of the things that defined him the best.

Little did she know that he was not that stupid, and that he was already beginning to question her behavior and the motives she kept giving him.

"I see," he said at length, his attention returning to his Blackberry. "You can tell Yuki to cook something else for you, then."

Sakura shook her head. "No, that's alright," she said, reaching out to take a sip of her water – grimacing, because for some reason or another, her mouth felt bitter.

Yuki chose that particular moment to appear with their food, placing the plates in front of each of them. Strawberry pancakes used to be her favorite food in the past. She used to eat it for breakfast, lunch, and then dinner, in the days when she did not have the mind to worry about her weight. But right now, the mere concept of it seemed unfathomable.

With a groan, her hand came up to cover her mouth, and before Sasuke's brain could even register the action, she had flown out of her seat, making a dash for the bathroom.

For a moment, the Uchiha just sat there, unable to make sense of what had just happened. Then he recovered and quickly followed her, calling out her name.

He found her in the nearest bathroom, bent over the toilet as she threw up, the door left wide open in her haste to get there faster. Flabbergasted, his actions were automatic as he reached out to hold her hair back for her, his other hand resting reassuringly over the small of her back. When she was finished, he wordlessly helped her up, flushing the toilet for her as she languidly washed her mouth into the sink, her small hand gripping the edge of the counter tightly, as though that was the only thing that was keeping her up on her feet at this point.

"You alright?" he asked as he thoughtfully handed her a towel, frowning at the way she seemed to deliberately avoid meeting his eyes. "You're worrying me, Sakura."

"You don't have to be worried," she murmured softly. "I already told you – "

"Oh, so this is another side-effect of your period? Don't play with me, Sakura! I may be clueless, but I am not stupid," he snapped, but immediately regretted having lost his temper when he saw her lower her eyes once again, her pink hair obscuring his view of her face. With a soft sigh, he reached out and titled her chin up, forcing her to meet his gaze. "Please talk to me," he whispered. "Tell me what's wrong."

"I don't…I don't know," she stammered. "I think it's something I ate."

Sasuke dropped his hand, burying it into the pocket of his pants. "Maybe you should rest," he suggested.

"I can't," she spoke without even thinking about her answer. "TenTen and Neji are coming back from their honeymoon today, and I – "

"Shh," he hushed her, placing a finger over her lips. "You nothing," he said. "You're staying home."

"But Sasuke!" she whined, traitorous tears springing to her eyes unwanted. The simplicity he had spoken with showed that he had no idea how serious this entire situation was, and that was once again proved when he blinked in surprise at the sight of her glassy eyes. He had no idea what had happened, but his wife had changed. The Sakura he knew was strong – she wouldn't cry for little nothings like these.

Gently wiping her tears away, he cupped her face within his hands, forcing her to look at him. "Sakura, this is not such a big deal. There'll be other days to meet up with TenTen."

"Yes," she whispered with a sniffle, trying to subtly mend her mistake. "You're right. I don't know what's up with me…"

Sasuke watched her for a moment more, a skeptical – yet gentle – look in his eyes, before wrapping his arm around her shoulders and slowly beginning to lead her out of the bathroom.

"Come on," he urged. "Let's go upstairs. You'll stay in bed until you feel better. You can tell TenTen to come over if you want. Hell, you can even go out to meet her! You're twenty-two years old. You can do whatever you want." He stopped in front of the staircase, cupping her face in his hands again. "But make sure you feel better first, alright?"

Sakura nodded, swallowing heavily. "Yes," she whispered.

"Alright," he sighed. "I have to go. Take care." Bending down, he kissed her forehead, before quickly walking out of the room.

The front door closed after a minute, and the pinkette took that as her cue to make her way upstairs and start getting ready for her date with TenTen, completely disregarding her husband's sweet advice. She couldn't even bear the thought of touching any kind of food right now, so before disappearing upstairs, she took her time to let Yuki know that there was no need for her to keep hanging around in the kitchen.

Once in the confines of her room, she took a long, hot shower, styled her hair and applied her make-up, before she started raiding her closet for something to wear. After a minute, she pulled out a short, grey dress; it flared a little just below her breasts, so she figured it was perfect. Her pregnancy was not that advanced, so no one but herself could notice the little changes in her body, but her abdomen did have a small bump that had not been there before. Call her paranoid, but she was terrified of somebody noticing it. Pregnant or not, though, she was still not ready to give up her high-heels.

She met up with TenTen a little over ten in the morning, in what had now become their usual café. Despite the obvious worry she held for her, the brunette was glowing, radiating happiness, obviously content with her life as a married woman. Had the circumstances been any different, Sakura would have felt bad for ruining the happy moment in which she told her friends all about her honeymoon – and on top of that, also guilty for calling her on said honeymoon to burden her with her problems.

But given the current situation, she could not find it within her to do anything but cry her heart out, craving the comforting presence the brunette had always represented for her. No matter how an outsider would view them, it was clear to Sakura that TenTen was the most mature one of their little group, always knowing what advices to give, even though she had never experienced the problem in question herself – that had been clear to her ever since their first intimate conversation, in that car, in front of that nightclub that had, one way or another, changed her life forever once she entered it.

During the past few years, she had been trying to convince herself that she could make it on her own, no matter the circumstances. But sitting here now, with that burden on her shoulders… 'Grateful' could not even begin to describe what she felt towards TenTen at this point.

"We're not ready for this, TenTen," she sobbed quietly, looking down at the table. "We're really not."

The brunette let out a soft sigh, one of her hands reaching out to grab hers. "Honey…" she whispered, at a total loss of what to say.

"He's so possessive…" she continued, shaking her head. "I don't think he sees me as a woman, as his wife…rather than some kind of trophy, a goal he has set for himself." She paused for a moment, drawing in a shuddering breath. "He doesn't trust me the slightest bit…"

TenTen bit her lip. "You're afraid that he's going to accuse you of cheating on him?" she asked hesitantly. "That he's not going to recognize this child as his?"

Sakura sighed, shaking her head. "I don't know," she confessed in a broken whisper.

"Sakura, the two of you have been sleeping together for like, what? – two months. He cannot just say things like that."

"Yes, he can," she argued, glancing at her from across the table. "He can, because he is Sasuke, and because sleeping together is all we've ever done!"

Although she would like to fool herself into believing that there was something else, something more to their relationship than just sex, Sakura found herself unable to do that. Because she knew that would be all she would do – fool herself. Their relationship was based on sex – nothing else – and there were moments when she regretted having given herself to him so quickly, without waiting to get to know him better.

There was no denying the fact that, over the course of the past few weeks, they had learned a variety of things about each other – at least, she knew she had. But even that had not been done in the 'traditional way'. Normal couples went out on dates, held hands, kissed and made out, but for a while, went no further than that. They found other ways to entertain themselves, activities whose only purpose was to make them get to know each other.

She and Sasuke were not like that – they had never been like that. Anything they might have learned about each other had been through small conversations and different situations they had found themselves in. There was nothing purposeful about that. The only thing that the two of them initiated consciously was sex.

She had always had the feeling that something was not right in their relationship, but she had never realized just how full of mistakes it was until she was put face to face with the concept of bringing a child into this world, into this environment.

"Have you…?" TenTen's hesitant voice snapped her out of her thoughts, bringing her back to reality. "Have you thought about…you know…?"

The pinkette shook her head, knowing exactly what her friend meant by that. "I would never be able to pull that off," she said. "And TenTen…this child has no fault in this. I made a mistake, and now it's time for me to face the consequences. But I am his mother…and I will protect him. No matter what happens, I will have this child, TenTen."

The brunette smiled, squeezing her hand tighter. "And I will be right next to you every step of the way," she assured her, earning a small smile in return. A smile that, sadly, disappeared after only a second.

"I'm scared," she whispered brokenly, biting down on her lower lip.

TenTen's eyes softened. "I know, honey, and I understand, but – "

"TenTen, think about it!" she interrupted her. "I've been drinking – I've been drinking a lot. And I've been stressing over your wedding and over Sasuke…and God, I've been running around so much. Hell, I've been _jumping_ around! And all these sudden pains…" she trailed off, squeezing her eyes shut. "TenTen, what if something really _is_ wrong?"

"Shh, calm down," she soothed, gently patting her hand. "I have a friend who's an obstetrician. I can call her right now if you want me to. We'll get an appointment as soon as possible – because, God forbid, if something really is wrong, we need to find out. Okay?"

Sakura sniffled, nodding. "Call her," she urged.

"Alright," TenTen said. "Just calm down, okay? We'll figure this out, I promise."

~•~

Meanwhile, Sasuke was in his office, looking over some files, trying hard to keep his mind off his pink-haired wife. Still, he couldn't help but wonder how she was doing…

Was she alright? Had she thrown up again? Had she gone out to meet up with TenTen, like they were supposed to? Ever since they had gotten together, worry had become a common emotion for him, and it was more than once that he found himself reaching for his cell-phone, only to catch himself in time and snatch his hand back. He may be concerned about her well-being, but he was not desperate.

Sakura was a grown-up. She knew how to take care of herself – after all, if she had survived all these years without having anyone by her side, why would this situation be any different? That was the one question he had an answer to, and it sounded like this:'It wouldn't.'Short and meaningful, just like he liked them.

The door to his office opened, and he glanced up for a second to see his secretary enter the room with the cup of coffee he had requested earlier in her hands.

Katya was a tall, twenty-year-old woman, with curly brown hair and hazel eyes. She was capricious and ambitious. Ego and pride above everything – that was her motto. She had been working as Sasuke's secretary for almost three months and had, ever since then, been trying to get into his pants. It was not an easy task, and that was not necessarily because the Uchiha did not show the slightest bit of interest in what she had to offer. It was mainly because she refused to be extremely obvious with her intentions, even though she was fairly certain that he had realized, by now, what exactly she wanted from him.

Truth to be told, Katya was not one to stick around for long, so she had never quite had a problem with being her usual blunt, demanding self – especially when she was sure that no one could deny her what she wanted – but this situation was different. _He_ was different. Uchiha Sasuke had everything she had ever looked for in a man – looks, brains, and money – and she felt like it was finally time to settle down and be with a man who deserved her, a man who could give her everything she wanted, everything she needed.

She was tired of working, no matter how well-paid she was. She wanted more. And she knew for a fact that Sasuke could give her that.

"Here's your coffee, Sir," she said as she placed the cup on his desk, smiling sensually.

His dark eyes rose to meet hers, and he grunted in dismissal, but she did not miss the way his gaze remained fixed on her figure for a moment longer than normally. And although there had not been a flicker of emotion in them, not even the subtle glow of lust she was accustomed to seeing in other men's eyes, Katya knew exactly what that little slip meant: he was falling – slowly, but surely.

She was not stupid, nor was she blind. She had done her homework before making her plan, so she knew he was married. The only problem was, she could not care less about it. She had set a goal for herself, and there was nothing stopping her from achieving it – her stubbornness was unbreakable.

And she had decided, long ago, that she wanted him.

And so, Uchiha Sasuke would be hers.

~•~

"TenTen, I can't believe this!" the pinkette exclaimed as soon as she stepped inside her house, her green eyes alight with happiness for what seemed like the first time in a very long time. "Did you hear it, too? Did you hear his little heartbeat?" she asked as she turned around to face her friend, a breathtaking smile lighting up her features.

The brunette smiled softly. It was hard to explain how relieved she felt to see her friend so happy, when only a few hours before, she had been unable to stop herself from crying.

"Of course I did, Sakura," she said. "I was right there, right next to you."

Sakura smiled, her hand coming to rest on her abdomen. "I don't think I've ever felt so relieved, TenTen," she confessed. "I was having doubts, I was feeling weird. But now…everything changed. I feel…I feel alright. I feel like things will finally be okay."

"You have no idea how happy I am to hear that," the brunette told her. "Now you can finally relax – your child is perfectly fine."

With a sigh, she nodded, her smile fading slightly. "Almost by a miracle, though," she said.

"Well…" TenTen smiled. "He is a little miracle in himself, is he not?"

Sakura unconsciously ran her hand over her abdomen. "I guess," she said.

A moment of silence passed, silence which TenTen broke with a question that was dreaded by the both of them, but that needed to be asked, regardless. "Are you going to tell him?"

"Yes." The pinkette's answer was surprisingly firm and prompt. "Yes, I will. Tonight," she specified, and then paused for a moment, shaking her head as another smile crept on her features.

"I never thought…I never thought I would end up pregnant with Sasuke's child, TenTen. But I did. And if he…if he really cares about me, about this relationship, about the life we've been trying to make for ourselves…if he really cares about all that, then he will accept things as they are and make the best of them. And if not…well, I'm not sure what will happen then. But I'm going to have this child."

Dropping her hand, she lightly shrugged her shoulders. "And that's that."

~•~

Later that night, Sakura found herself sitting on the couch in the living room, dressed comfortably in a pink tank-top and matching panties; her hair was neatly pulled back in a high pony-tail, her face cleaned of any cosmetic product. A bowl of chocolate ice-cream rested on her lap, a spoon in her hand, while her apple-green eyes were fixed on the flat screen attached to the wall, sparkling with amusement as she watched the cartoon characters dance around. After so many tears, she figured that some heartfelt laughter would do good to her baby.

Seeing her like that, however, made Sasuke want to laugh for what felt like the first time in years. He had sensed something different about the atmosphere in the house from the very first moment he stepped through the door. He had no idea what could have happened, but the air was calmer – the thick layer of tension that had accumulated over the past few days was now gone. Things seemed to finally be back to where they had been before, and that was proved to him once again when he entered the living room, his eyes immediately catching sight of her.

She was curled up on the comfortable couch, quietly watching TV, the scene greatly resembling that of a few days ago. There were certain differences, though, and Sasuke was grateful for that. She now sat straighter, prouder. Her eyes, instead of being void, were the glittering emeralds he had grown accustomed to, dancing with happiness and amusement. She was once again eating ice-cream, while the television played softly in the background; from the angle he was standing at, he could not see it entirely, but the familiar tunes of Tom and Jerry clued him in on her current source of amusement.

With a smirk he did not bother to conceal, he unceremoniously dropped his jacket on a nearby armchair, the dull thud it made startling his pink-haired wife. It had not been his intention to scare her, but seeing the adorable way she reacted in made him silently congratulate himself for his actions.

"Sasuke!" she exclaimed, placing a hand over her racing heart. "You can't go around scaring me like that! Do you want to kill me?"

His smirk widened as he slowly made his way towards her. "What are you doing?" he asked, sounding rightfully amused, as he took a seat on the couch, by her side. "You have chocolate all over your mouth!"

Frowning, the pinkette reached for the coffee table before her; setting the bowl on the wooden surface, she quickly fetched a napkin, which she used to wipe at her mouth.

"Is there anything left?" she asked, looking at her husband with curious green orbs.

"Yeah," he answered, unable to contain his smirk as a devilish idea popped into his mind. "A little bit here…" he indicated vaguely, touching his lips with his fingertips.

"Where?" she prodded, only slightly irritated, "Here?" She wiped the corner of her mouth, searching his eyes for approval.

"No," he denied, shaking his head. Inching closer to her, he subtly closed in on her, bending his head so that his forehead now rested against hers. "Here," he whispered huskily, licking her lower lip.

Her heart-rate increasing dramatically, the pinkette's breath hitched. She could feel her husband's hot breath fan against her lips, and despite the growing temperature in the room, she couldn't help but shudder. All of a sudden, before her brain could even register the action, he slashed his mouth against hers with a fierceness and desperation that made her gasp in surprise. His tongue took advantage of her reaction and quickly invaded her mouth, tangling with hers, forcing her to respond to the kiss with the same hungry passion.

"God, I've missed you," he rasped against her lips, cupping her face within his hands and pulling her impossibly closer.

"Sasuke," she gasped out, half trying to pull away, half wanted to pull him right through her skin. She had missed this – she had missed him. Going so long without touching him, without having _him_ touch _her_, now seemed like an impossible task. "Sasuke, I really need to tell you something." But at this point, her priorities were another.

"Later," he muttered dismissively, not interested in the least, as he attacked her mouth with yet another round of hot kisses.

"Sasuke, no," she whined, her hands pushing against his chest languidly – and quite uselessly. "Sasuke, I really do have something important – "

"I said later, Sakura!" he snapped, tearing his mouth away from hers. Grasping her hips, he roughly pulled her into his lap, his hand making quick work of releasing her hair from its confines, before burying into the thick, pink strands. His forehead came to rest against hers, his accelerating breathing fanning against her lips. "You have no idea how much I need you right now."

Sakura tried to protest, but as he slashed his lips against hers once more, she found that she couldn't resist him. Things were alright at the moment – or at least they were _going_ to be alright. Her husband was with her. He would be there in the morning. They were together, and as long as they remained that way, nothing bad could happen.

So she figured that giving him the unexpected news could wait for a little while longer. After all, just because she had finally accepted the situation, didn't mean that she could be sure that her husband's reaction would be a positive one. And if him finding out that he was going to be a father turned out to be the end of their relationship, then at least she had the opportunity to enjoy being in his arms one more time.

The thought that the end of them could be so close terrified her…but admittedly, it had no place here and now. Not while his warmth was enveloping her so comfortingly, so protectively, so thoroughly. At this point, there were only three things that mattered – him, them, and the connection that existed between them. Nothing more, nothing less.

* * *

_A/N: I know, I know. Sasuke has yet to find out about Sakura's pregnancy, and none of you like that. But things are planned out down to every last detail, so I promise the wait will be worth it. _

_As usual, you can find pictures of Sakura's outfit on my profile. _

_That being said, please review! I have cookies for everyone!_


	29. Not Worth It

_A/N: Hey, everybody! Sorry for the long wait! Reasons on my blog – I refuse to babble here, because that takes time, and you've already waited long enough. _

_Thank you all for your reviews, your patience and support! I love you!_

_Enjoy this chapter!_

* * *

_**Incomplete**__  
By The Terrorist_

_**Chapter twenty-nine**__  
Not Worth It_

* * *

The following morning, Sakura woke to the sound of the phone shrieking loudly on her bedside table, shattering the silence that had previously blanketed the room. With a small groan of discontentment at being awakened so brutally after what seemed like the most peaceful night of sleep she had gotten in quite a while, she rolled over, and with sleepy eyes only half-opened, struggled to reach the annoying machine.

It was not the first time she woke up to find herself on her husband's side of the bed after he left for work in the morning, but it certainly was the first time she found that to be inconvenient (seeing as his pillow was always softer and fluffier – and smelled like him more than her own).

Spread horizontally across the mattress, her fingers finally grasped the phone, and she carelessly pressed the accept button, bringing it to her ear as her head fell tiredly on her now-cool pillow.

"Hello?" she mumbled, not having the necessary strength to even care about who was on the other line.

The familiar, cheerful voice that greeted her, however, made her perk up in an instant, all traces of sleep dissipating from her system. _"Hey, Sakura!"_

"Naruto!" she exclaimed, a happy smile lighting up her features as she raised her head off the pillow, letting her elbows support her weight. "Where have you been? You haven't called me in forever! You have no idea how much I've missed you!"

"_Of course you're missed me," _Naruto laughed,_ "But I haven't really had much time to do anything lately. I've been really busy."_

"Yeah, right," she scoffed, the words escaping her mouth before her brain could process them, "Too busy to call me? Me? I'm like your sister, for God's sake!"

The blond kept quiet for a moment. _"Err… Sakura, are you alright?" _he asked, slightly hesitant.

The pinkette heaved a sigh upon hearing him, one hand coming up to massage her forehead. Over the past few days, she had discovered that one of the downsides of being pregnant – aside from morning sickness, fatigue, and irritating back-aches – was the fact that her emotions seemed to be on a constant roller-coaster.

She had been snappy and easily annoyed the entire time she wasn't crying or tormenting herself with worst case scenarios, so she could now clearly see where her best friend was coming from. After all, she had never been the kind of person to get mad at somebody simply because they didn't check on her for a period of time; she didn't _demand_ attention – she _earned_ it.

"I'm sorry, Naruto," she apologized. "It's just that…well, I'm in a rather delicate period of my life right now, and every single little thing affects me."

"_A rather delicate period of your life?" _he repeated, and she could easily picture the frown that marred his features._ "What are you talking about, Sakura? Don't tell me you're sick!"_

"No, Naruto," she laughed, "I'm not sick. In fact…" Rolling over onto her back, she stared dreamily at the ceiling as one of her hands came to caress her still-flat stomach. "This is the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to me. Naruto…" She paused for a second, unsure of how to break the news to him, before quickly deciding that – at least in his case – the simple approach was best. "I'm pregnant."

A moment of silence followed her unexpected declaration, which was soon shattered by a loud screech. _"What?"_

Sakura laughed. "Yeah," she confirmed.

"_B – but you and the bastard, Sakura?" _he stammered, shocked.

"Yeah." She smiled, biting her lip. "Me and the bastard. Who would have thought, right?"

"_Yeah, well…poor kid, Sakura," _he said, and she laughed once more at the seriousness in his voice._ "With such a father…"_

"Don't be mean," she chided softly. "Sasuke is…well, I think I'm just beginning to know the real him, you know? And he's pretty amazing."

"_Riiight," _he scoffed, but thankfully, stopped pressing the matter before her already out-of-control emotions caused her to lose her temper and start yelling at him._ "What did he say about the kid?"_

"I…" she started, but ended up trailing off, unable to find her words. A soft sigh pushed its way past her lips as she realized she was once again confronted with the same old problem. "I haven't told him yet," she finally confessed. "It's…not as easy as I'd initially thought. Only you and TenTen know."

"_Sak, you know I love you and that I'd do anything for you, right?" _he asked.

Sakura frowned, confused at the sudden change of subjects. "I know," she replied. "I love you, too."

"_If he hurts you again…I will kill him," _he warned, speaking slowly, as though wanting to make sure she understood that he meant every word that came out of his mouth._ "No matter the circumstances – or your feelings for him – I will kill him this time."_

"Don't be like that," she murmured disapprovingly. "Things are getting better between us. Soon, you won't have to worry about him anymore. I promise."

A deep sigh resounded through the phone._ "Well, I hope you keep that promise, Sakura."_

"I always do," she reminded him.

"_Good," _he said, and with another sigh, let the matter go._ "Have dinner with me tonight?"_

Sakura chewed on her lower lip as she thought about her answer. "I don't know," she said, uncertainty tainting her voice. "Sasuke might see us – and you know how he gets."

"_Come to my apartment," _he answered, easily finding a solution._ "We have a lot to talk about."_

"Okay, then," she agreed – albeit a bit hesitantly – with a smile. "I'll see you tonight. Bye!"

"_Bye! Ohh, and turn on your cell-phone for me, will you?" _he added hurriedly, before ending their conversation.

With a soft sigh and a slight shake of her head, still not completely convinced that accepting her best friend's invitation had been a good idea, the pinkette rolled over onto her stomach, her eyes fixed on the small screen of the phone as she punched in TenTen's already memorized number.

There was nothing stopping her from telling Sasuke the truth that night – and since she had some time on her hands, she figured she could use some 'inspiration'.

~•~

"Sasuke-kun!" an all too familiar screech resounded through the mansion, nearly startling him, the sound of high-heels clipping against the hardwood floor that followed breaking the silence that had peacefully encompassed his surroundings.

The young Uchiha, who had closed himself into his office soon after having breakfast, sighed and dropped his pen on the desk, his hands coming to cover his face as he fought back the urge to groan – or rather, whine – helplessly. Where in the world this woman found so much determination and perseverance was beyond him, really.

But then again, her father had put the world to her feet the moment she was born, so he supposed she had supplies – _tons of supplies_ – readily waiting to be used.

Leaning back into his comfortable leather chair, he watched as she appeared in the doorway, clad in the shortest, tightest red dress he had ever seen, and a pair of black pumps.

He had decided to stay at home that morning and wait for his wife to wake up, wanting to give her the chance to say what she had been meaning to the night before, when he had so unceremoniously cut her off – not that he believed anyone could blame him – but with the redhead's unexpected appearance, he found himself dangerously close to regretting that decision.

"Sasuke-kun!" she exclaimed again, her voice more toned down, now that she had found him.

Sasuke looked at her blankly. How was he supposed to phrase his sentences so that Yuki understood that he did _not_ want this woman wandering through his house anymore?

"What are you doing here?" he asked, exasperated. "Are you really unable to take a hint – and disappear?"

It was hard to admit, but he was getting desperate. It seemed like she was always there, breathing down his neck, ready to spout off insults about his wife every time he turned around. Sasuke was by no means a person with a weak personality, one that could not adhere to an opinion of his own, but the doubt that she daily infused into his system…it was too much, even for him.

There were two plausible options: either she had a very active imagination, or she was speaking the truth, and although he wanted nothing more than to believe that the latter was just a result of his sick mind and paranoid, untrusting self, he could not be sure – _he could not. _His way of being flat-out impeded him, and he was afraid that, soon, he would snap – and not at Karin, but at his wife. And that was the last thing they needed at his point. He had enough with her mood swings, her sudden sickness, her strange, mysterious behavior…with everything that was currently happening in their relationship.

"Yes!" she exclaimed, slightly annoyed. "I'm unable to just disappear! You want to know why? Because I care about you, Sasuke-kun, and because I can't let you do this to yourself any longer. If you continue to stay with her and believe her lies, you're going to end up hurt, and I don't want that!"

"Karin," he hissed lowly, "no one will hurt me – and even if they did, it wouldn't be your problem in the very least. Mind your own business and fuck off!"

"She's cheating on you, Sasuke-kun," she continued as though he had not even spoken, slowly advancing into the room.

Sasuke resisted the urge to stand up, grab her arm, drag her out of his office – _his personal space_ – and throw her out of the house, choosing instead to clench his jaw and glare dangerously, warningly at her.

Unfortunately, she didn't seem to notice. "You're being so nice to her, and all she wants is revenge! All this time, she kept by your side because of your looks and money, and because of those goddamn appearances you all care so much about! But she doesn't love you. She's just a little whore that likes to have her way with every man that is unfortunate enough to cross her path. And of course, at night, she comes back to you. You know what they say: save the best for last." She came to a stop in front of his desk and bit her lip as she gave him a thorough once-over, the look in her eyes turning from caring – fake caring, but caring, nonetheless – to feral, almost predatory. "I guess she isn't that stupid after all, huh?" she added, seemingly to herself.

"Karin," he started, his voice calm and steady, betraying none of the anger that surged through his system after hearing her speech, "I'm going to ask you – very nicely – to get the fuck out of my sight before I snap and throw you out myself." His onyx eyes bore into her dark-brown ones as he spoke. "Are you sure you want to go through such an experience again?"

The redhead rolled her eyes, a pout on her features. "Fine, Sasuke-kun," she relented. "I will leave. But I was not kidding. When you finally realize what kind of woman they forced you to marry, come to me. I'll be waiting…" And with that, she was gone, leaving behind a trail of expensive perfume and words that hung into the air long after the house was cleared of her presence.

Clenching his jaw, Sasuke covered his eyes with his hand and tried to fight back the anger that surged through his veins, not wanting to suddenly snap and start throwing things around. No, that would be unacceptable. Especially since Sakura was still sleeping peacefully upstairs. Because she now liked to sleep in late, he reminded himself. She was tired and sick and she needed to rest.

The past week had been hectic for both of them, and when he saw her the night before, laughing in such a carefree manner, showing that childish side of her that he secretly loved so much, her eyes shining like glittering gemstones, like he was _used_ to seeing them shine…when he saw her the night before, sitting there, with a bowl of ice-cream in her hands, and with no signs of the illness that had attacked her system in the morning…well, he might have been a little _too_ happy, a little _too_ eager to show her just how much she had come to mean to him – an aspect that even _he_ had underestimated.

So of course she was exhausted; it was only normal, he told himself.

But even so, he could not deny the lingering feeling that something was wrong, that something – and he had no idea how important, how dangerous that something might be – was not quite right about the fact that she had changed her sleeping and eating habits so easily and so suddenly. And to think that was only _one_ of the strange things that seemed to surround her nowadays.

With a soft sigh and a slight shake of his head, the young Uchiha tried to turn his attention back to the contract he had been studying. Much to his displeasure – and already adding to the bad mood the redhead had forced him in – he soon found that to be impossible. Thoughts of his wife continuously invaded his mind and retained his attention, and although seeing her smiling face calmed the angry dragon inside him, thinking about the past few days did not – it only served to make him even more confused. And when Sasuke was confused, he thought – and thought and thought, until he reached some conclusions that, admittedly, proved to be wrong more often than not. But she had been acting so strange… and damn Karin and her stupid, stupid ideas!

Sasuke had once thought that that woman was harmless. He had never considered her stupid, but he had never thought that she could harm him – or the family he was trying to build with Sakura. Only now did he realize just how wrong he had been. Because now he couldn't help but think: what if she was right? What if Sakura really wasn't what he thought she was? What if she was only trying to get back at him for all the years of pain he had put her though? There were many, many things he had yet to know about her, thing he ought to have found out _before_ he married her – which was obviously not the case.

It pained him to even consider the redhead's words, but his nature of over-thinking and over-analyzing things rendered him helpless against the constant onslaught of doubts that she kept dropping on him. His eyes narrowed into a glare as he realized that the bitch probably knew that, that that was the reason why she did everything, in the first place.

But Sasuke was not one to allow others to manipulate him in any shape or form. The thin wire that held his patience snapping, he reached for the phone, fully intending on calling his lawyer and filling a restraining order against her; exaggerated or not, he did not want her around anymore – and if she could not understand that nicely and willingly, then there was nothing else he could do about it.

Too late did he realize that the line was actually busy – Sakura was talking to somebody. His first instinct was to place the phone back on its charger, since he had no intention – or interest, for that matter – of getting involved in her personal business, in her life. But then he heard her voice, and everything was lost.

"_I… I haven't told him yet. It's…not as easy as I'd initially thought. Only you and TenTen know."_

"_Sak, you know I love you and that I'd do anything for you, right?"_

"_I know. I love you, too."_

"_If he hurts you again…I will kill him. No matter the circumstances – or your feelings for him – I will kill him this time."_

"_Don't be like that. Things are getting better between us. Soon, you won't have to worry about him anymore. I promise."_

"_Well, I hope you keep that promise, Sakura."_

"_I always do."_

"_Good. Have dinner with me tonight?"_

"…_I don't know. Sasuke might see us – and you know how he gets."_

"_Come to my apartment. We have a lot to talk about."_

"_Okay, then. I'll see you tonight. Bye!"_

"_Bye! Ohh, and turn on your cell-phone for me, will you?" _

His vision blurred as the conversation replayed in his mind long after the dial tone had chimed in. _"I love you, too,"_ she had said. And she had not said it to him. No, never to him. His thoughts clouded by anger, Karin's voice rang in his head – _"She's just a little whore that likes to have her way with every man that is unfortunate enough to cross her path."_ She had been right. All this time, he had been defending the wrong person – and he had done it like he had never defended anyone before, with a fierceness and a passion that he had not believed himself to be capable of.

He was storming out of his office before his brain could even register the action, before it could make sense of what had happened – before it could analyze the situation and reach other, less harmful, more logical conclusions. He could not know for sure how much time he had spent closed off in his office, letting his anger mount, but realized, from the amount that had gathered, that it had been quite a while.

She met him at the base of the stairs, dressed in a pair of tight, black pants, high heels, and a loose tank-top. Under any other circumstances, he would have noticed the way her eyes sparkled when they fell on him, or the beautiful smile that spread on her features as her lips formed his name. He would have noticed just how happy she was to see him, and would have reached the conclusion that staying home longer in the mornings, so that she could find him there when she woke up, was a suitable alternative to his already boring routine – anything, if it made her glow like that.

But these were not normal circumstances, so all he saw when he looked at her was her lips forming those three words – "I love you" – and all he remembered was how she had not said them to him, but to some man she had talked to on _his_ phone, in _his_ house, after having shared the bed with _him_ for an entire night.

"Sasuke," she breathed, surprised. A wide smile on her features, she moved to wrap her arms around his neck, only to have him stop her, his hands wrapping tightly around her wrists as he held her at distance.

"Who were you talking to?" he hissed, his voice low and dangerous, his black eyes piercing right through her.

Sakura frowned, her smile long gone. "What…?" she trailed off, unsure of what to make out of his behavior.

What was he doing here? Why was he treating her like this? And what in the world was he talking about? What was it that he wanted to know so desperately?

"No, don't tell me!" he mocked, an almost evil sneer pulling at his lips as anger continued to crackle in his eyes. "With that lucky man you love so much?"

Her frown deepened, and a brief moment of recollection flashed through his mind, reminding him of a time – not so long ago – when he would have done anything to replace that crease between her eyebrows with a brilliant smile. But he quickly pushed the thought aside, before it had the chance to develop into something more. That was in the past. He had opened his eyes now.

"What are you talking about?" she asked, sounding genuinely confused.

But Sasuke refused to let himself be fooled by her innocent façade anymore. "Stop acting!" he snapped, allowing her to yank her hands from his tight grip as she winced at his angry tone and took a step back. "I heard you, Sakura! I heard you talking to him! I heard you telling him how much you love him! Now tell me: where have you been yesterday, all day long?"

"Sasuke…" she murmured his name, her eyes flooded with disappointment.

"You were with him, weren't you?" he demanded.

"No," she said, shaking her head. "No, Sasuke. Yesterday, I was…I was – "

"Stop lying, goddamn it!" he cut her off, grabbing her upper arms and abruptly forcing her closer. "Why do you keep acting? Why, when I'm right here, giving you the chance to fucking speak up?"

"I'm not lying, motherfucker!" she snapped back, forcefully freeing herself from his grip, her green eyes ablaze with renewed anger. "You don't get it!" she accused. "You never did, and you probably never will! I'm sick of you!"

"Well, _I'm_ sick of _you_!" His black eyes ran over the length of her body, contempt flowing through his veins. "Only now do I realize," he said, "I've had by my side a very good actress. But your play is over."

And with that, he turned his back on her and stormed out of the room, the front door slamming behind him, rattling the walls, leaving the pinkette to stare at it with a dazed mixture of confusion, disbelief, and hurt swimming in her eyes. The large mahogany door opened again only a moment later, and her best friend entered the house, her confused, chocolate-brown orbs searching the room until they fell on her.

"Honey," she whispered, distress flooding her eyes when she noticed the expression etched on her features, "What happened?" Carelessly abandoning her bag and jacket on the floor, she quickly made her way towards where she stood at the foot of the stairs. "Did you tell him?"

"No!" she snapped, her answer harsher than she intended, as she stumbled back to sit on the stairs. Her hands buried in her hair, and a heavy sigh escaped her lips as the events that took place less than a minute ago completely sunk into her mind. "I didn't get a chance to."

"Then what the hell just happened?" the brunette demanded, taking a seat next to her. "He was furious! I don't think I've ever seen him so angry!"

"What do you think happened?" she hissed, unreasonably angry with her prodding, as she turned to glare at her, her hands still tangled in her hair, elbows resting on her knees. "He began yelling at me again! He probably heard me talking to Naruto and flipped out, as usual!" Her voice broke, and she cursed. "I can't take this anymore, goddamn it!"

"Honey, calm down," TenTen advised, running a soothing hand over her back. "Remember what the doctor told you. I know it hurts, but think about it this way," she offered. "He may be a little too possessive for your tastes, but everything he does or says is because he's jealous. And what better proof of his love than his jealousy?"

"I don't need his fucking jealousy, TenTen," the pinkette spat. "I need _him._ And even after all this time, I haven't managed to get a _glimpse_ of what's underneath that stupid façade of his. I go around telling people that he's sweet and amazing and everything I could possibly want, but he's not! He shows worry for a moment, and then suddenly it's gone, and he's back to being his cold, aloof self. He doesn't make any sense, TenTen! I can't understand him – and sometimes, I feel like he doesn't even _want_ me to understand him! He's constantly pushing me away, never letting me in…"

"Sakura, he's trying," she reminded her, "He really is. Neji told me he's never seen him so involved in a relationship before, so keen on doing things the right way. He just… He just doesn't know how to deal with this kind of situations…he's completely clueless."

"Well, I am, too!" she cried, distressed. "Just because I'm used to showing affection more openly doesn't mean I have much experience with relationships! But I'm trying, TenTen; I'm trying, and you know damn well I'm dealing with much more than he is. Besides, if there's anybody between the two of us who has the right to be jealous, that person is me. Because he's been my first and only, and he's been with numerous other woman before me. How do I know he's not in bed with one of them while he claims to be at work? How do I know he's not doing the exact same things he was when we weren't together?

How can I manage not to think of that? How is it that it has never even crossed my mind? How can I trust him so much?" Her voice softened as her eyes filled with tears, her throat closing up. "And what's missing for him to do the same…?"

"Sakura…" She paused for a moment, struggling to find her words. "Men are idiots – Sasuke more than the average. But you've known that from the very beginning. You've known what you were getting yourself into. Now you have to suck it up and deal with it. The truth is… You both have some problems of your own to work out before you even _think_ of having a flawless relationship. One of yours is clearly the trust that you have in your marriage, that lack of confidence that has been plaguing you for days. I know the current conditions are not ideal, but have you stopped to think how the past week has seemed like to him?"

Sakura sniffled and shook her head, seeing her point. She had been so engrossed in her own problems, that even when she saw worry written all over her husband's face, she had not stopped to consider, if only for a moment, the effects her behavior must have had on him, on them. And despite the fact that a part of her claimed that her pregnancy was a viable excuse, Sakura knew that, in reality, she had none of those. They were in this together – she was supposed to care about him, about how he felt and what he thought. And lately, she had done very little of that.

"You've been so secretive, so mysterious… and Sasuke is like that – he doesn't trust people easily; one has to work really hard to earn his trust and respect. This is probably the first time he's opened up to somebody just because – just because he thought that somebody might deserve it, might eventually prove to be worth the effort. He may seem cold and unfeeling, but I could bet on anything that this is really hard for him – and your behavior has not made it any easier."

Tearing her gaze away from her friend, the pinkette looked down at her feet, her mind working to process her words.

"And I think that… I think it's time for you to clear things up," she continued, one of her hands coming to rest on her stomach, "to tell him the truth."

~•~

By the time he reached his office, Sasuke was livid. One would think that tearing through the city in the fastest car he owned would somewhat cool his anger; he had believed that, as well, when he grabbed her keys to his Aston Martin. He had obviously been wrong, though, because all he managed to do was ignite even more rage within him. He was not just angry – he was furious!

How could she? No, scratch that. How could he? How could he have trusted her? How could he have been so damn stupid, so blind? How could he have thought that, after everything he had done to her, she would manage to find it within her to forgive him, to give him another chance, to want to spend the rest of her life with him? It was impossible – and he should have listened to his gut when it told him that.

Storming through the hallways, the world around him completely ignored, people knowing better than to stand in his way, he entered his office and slammed the door behind him, his anger failing to cool even when he impulsively swap his arm over the surface of his desk, sending various items crashing to the floor.

All this time, he had believed in her. Opened up upon seeing her vulnerable and disappointed. Gotten worked up because some man or another hugged her at the wedding, and then apologized for the scene, because _she_ claimed he was being stupid – and because he felt like an ass for disappointing her. Ever since they had gotten together, everything – _absolutely everything _– had been about her, and only now did he realize just how big of a mistake that had been.

He should have never gotten involved with her. He should have known it was a bad idea, should have known it would only complicate his life. He should have known it would never work. He should have stayed away from her, just like he had done from the very beginning.

A growl built up in his throat as he flopped down on his chair, his hands tugging at his hair. How could he have been so fucking stupid? Trusting her like that – her, of all the people, and with the history they had?

The door to his office creaked open, stopping him from sending the rest of the objects that resided on the desk to the floor. A single glance in the right direction told him that Katya had just entered the room, but he didn't bother to throw her out. She would leave when she was done with what she had to do or say – she never questioned, never demanded his attention. She somehow understood when he would rather be left alone – and that, to Sasuke, mattered more than anything.

The muted sound of her heels padding across the carpet reached his ears, but he refused to turn around to look at her again; leaning back into his leather chair, gazing out on the floor-to-ceiling windows, he didn't react to her presence until he felt her small hands on his shoulders. Instantly, his body stiffened, his muscles coiling at the unexpected action.

Katya had seemed willing and ready to show him everything she had to show, but she had never been bold enough to touch him.

It seemed like she, too, knew perfectly well when to act, he reflected bitterly.

"You know…" her sultry voice whispered in his ear, her hot breath fanning against the skin of his neck. "You seem a little tense."

But why would he care about that? Why would it matter? They were all the same – _she_ was the same.

Her hands traveled down his chest, unfastening the top buttons of his shirt, sensually caressing the revealed skin. Her mouth pressed gently against his neck, her teeth scraping the surface of his skin.

"Do you want me to help you relax?"

This time, Sasuke did not refuse her. It had been months since she started tempting him, started wearing the skimpiest outfits, giving him sultry looks and indecent views – and all this time, he had kept away because of her, because of Sakura. But she was out of the picture now, and he forced himself to forget about her, to let himself feel.

It proved to be harder than he had initially estimated.

His body instinctively relaxed as her hands continued their exploration of his chest. They were soft and small, with long, manicured nails, but they weren't the right hands.

Full lips pressed against his cheek, then further down, against the corner of his mouth, so close that if he titled his head just slightly to the side, he would be kissing her. But when he did, he felt nothing. The spark that he had become accustomed to was not there, and his heart did not start to suddenly beat faster; no emotions manifested inside him, and there was something in the back of his mind that told him to stop, not to allow a repeat of this to happen. But he did, anyway, even though it drove him crazy.

Abruptly turning around, he grasped her hips and roughly pulled her to him, his mouth slashing against hers, his actions fueled by the pure anger streaming through his veins, clouding his judgment.

He closed his eyes, and he saw her – saw her gorgeous smile, her brilliant green eyes. His nails dug into Katya's hips, his hands gripping them so tightly that he was sure they were going to bruise later, but he did not care, because those were not _her_ hips – that was not _her_ skin, not _her_ flesh. His lips moved violently on hers, his hands releasing her hips only to move up and fist her hair. But the strands were not as soft as the ones he was used to, and when he opened his eyes, he discovered that they were not the right color, either.

Growling deeply, Sasuke squeezed his eyes shut and tore his mouth away from hers, swiftly attacking her neck. Katya clung to him, half-sitting on his lap, hands in his hair, heard thrown back in pleasure. The top buttons of her silk blouse were already opened, revealing the top of her lacy bra, her breasts practically spilling over the cups, and the Uchiha found it easy to focus on that as he tore open the rest of the garment, sending expensive-looking buttons flying, and rendering the woman on top of him to a quivering mess.

For a moment, the image of his smiling wife disappeared from his head. But then he buried his face into her neck, and caught a whiff of her scent. It was not the one he had expected.

Squeezing his eyes shut, Sasuke kissed her again, furiously, trying to release all the pent up frustration, all the anger, trying to get her out of his head, to forget all about her lips, her scent, her touch, her voice, and those goddamn eyes of hers that seemed to haunt him.

~•~

Sakura forced a smile to her face as her eyes caught Neji's in the hallway that – she had been told – led to her husband's office. TenTen had managed to convince her that the best thing she could do in this situation was to give him an explanation for the conversation he had obviously overheard, and tell him the real reason behind her strange behavior. She had come all the way to his workplace on an impulse, wanting to get this over with as soon as possible, and although the words 'the sooner, the better' rang over and over into her mind, the pinkette was seriously starting to regret her rash decision.

There was no doubt that Sasuke was still livid at this point, and she was afraid that seeing her would only make things worse. Not to mention the fact that there was a high possibility that the news she had to share with him would only further fuel his anger. She briefly wondered whether she should just turn around and patiently wait for him to come home in the evening, but she shook the thought off with as much determination as she could muster. She had made it this far, and she would not give up now – not again. She was going to tell him.

TenTen was right – with Sasuke, there was no keeping secrets, and breaking that rule was her own fault. She should have more trust in him, in them, or else, their relationship would never work. His reaction and the possible consequences suddenly didn't seem so important anymore. What truly mattered was for her to make this step, to finally open her mouth and tell him what she had to say. Then the ball would be in his court, and she would be rid of this responsibility, of this terrible burden that she had been carrying for so long. So if anything, she told herself, if she was still somewhat mad at him for being such an idiot and saying all those things to her, then this was something she had to do for herself, and not for him – not to prove him wrong, or to provoke him further.

Her heart in her throat, beating so frantically that she was afraid it might burst, she willed her feet to keep moving until she reached the elegant, wooden door that separated them. Taking a deep breath – and sending a quick prayer above to fuel the courage that seemed to have long since died within her – she grasped the doorknob and twisted it, pushing the door open.

"Sasuke – " she immediately started to speak, but the words died in her throat as her gaze fell on the scene unfolding before her. He was sitting behind his desk, his white shirt half-opened, a brunette she could not recognize on his lap, in the same state of undress as him. They had separated upon hearing her speak, but there was no denying what had been going on.

Sasuke's lips were red and swollen as he gaped at her, but she could have sworn the woman in his arms was smirking at her. She couldn't be sure, though, because her eyes were locked with her husband's dark orbs. For a moment, she thought about screaming, about making a scene – about beating her up and giving him what he deserved. But then tears filled her eyes, and she realized that there would be no point in that. With or without a reaction from her part, things were never going to change. She knew that now.

"Never-mind," she whispered, waving her hand in a weak, dismissive gesture, before walking away. She did not look back to see Sasuke shoving the woman off him, did not hear him call out her name, and did not turn around to see him exit his office, desperately trying to catch up with her.

She did not remember how she got to the parking lot. Everything was hazy. She had taken the elevator; people had swum in and out, some even nodding at her in acknowledgment, but it was as though she had been in a trance all along. Her hand ran through her hair as she made her way through the rows of cars, her green eyes lost as she tried to make sense of what she had just witnessed. For how long had that been going on? Had he been lying to her all along, or was this just a reaction to the wrong conclusions he had reached?

"Sakura!" her name resounded through the parking-lot, and she realized that it did not matter.

This –_ this_ _Sasuke_ – was not the father she wanted for her child. She had long since understood that things were not just about her anymore; she was no longer alone in this, and if she had put up with all of his bullshit in the past, she would not submit her child to the same torture. He would not live for a _second_ in the same environment that she had.

Glancing briefly behind her, not really searching for him, she quickened her pace, slipping inside her car as soon as she reached it; her hands shook as she turned the key in the ignition and pulled out of her parking spot, never glancing in the rearview mirror as she exited the underground facility.

She should be angry, she knew, but surprisingly, she found that she was not. Years of heartbreak had made her immune to this type of situations, it seemed. In some sick, painful way, she realized that she had been expecting that – expecting him to betray her, to let her down.

Her brain continued to work at a sluggish pace to process what had happened as the car wove its way through the noon traffic. Vaguely, she noticed a familiar looking Aston Martin behind her; the idea of what that could mean, though, failed to register into her mind. Wave after wave of questions flooded her already throbbing head, her brain having trouble grasping the reality of the situation.

What was she doing? What would she do next? Would she have the power to leave him after everything that had transpired between them? Would he accept that so easily? Where would she go? What would she do? Would her child ever meet his father? Nothing made sense anymore. The world around her had been reduced to a big jumble of words, images, and sounds.

The image of him behind his desk, with that woman on his lap haunted her, but so did that of his face, of his sexy, relaxed smirk, or the genuine smile he only scarcely offered her.

What was going on? When had the situation become so complicated? When had everything taken a turn for the worse? Just this morning, she was making plans on how to tell him that he was going to be a father, that they were going to have a family. When had all this happened? And why? What had she done wrong?

A loud horn snapped her out of her thoughts, bringing her back to reality. She looked behind, certain that the sound had come from that direction, before whipping around to face the road once again.

The next few seconds were nothing more than a blur to her. The dreadful, familiar sound of metal colliding with metal resounded in her ears like a broken record. Horns blared, people screamed, the sounds adding to the chaotic background. Her hands grasped the steering wheel tightly as a scream of her own escaped her mouth, her instincts taking over as she pushed the brake pedal to the floor.

A bright light she vaguely remembered having seen before enveloped her side of the car, making her squeeze her eyes shut in irritation.

Then there was nothing.

* * *

_A/N: …How many of you hate me right now? I know, I know. I'm evil! Muhahaha._

_Anyway. Sorry, but this was one of those things that I knew would happen from the moment I started typing the first chapter, and I never thought about giving it up, even though I knew most of you would not like it. As I said on my blog, this will be the last drama installment. Then we move on to end-of-story fluff. _

_You probably also hated the Sasuke—Katya scene. Bleah, it wasn't easy for me to write, either. Things changed when I had him focusing on Sakura, though. That hadn't been part of the plan, but the words flowed when I wrote the first draft, and then I realized that it was better this way._

_Anyway, I hope I'll be able to post the next chapter soon. I really do want to finish this story, so don't be shy – BUG ME! I never tried that one before, but who knows? It might work. _

_Pictures on my profile. Cookies for reviewers._

_So, please review!_


	30. Can't Lose You

_A/N: Quick update! Yayyy! It's been a while since I was last able to say that!_

_A huge thank you goes to all of those who PMed me. If that was your way of bugging me, it worked. If you were just trying to reach me, it means the world to me. _

_And of course, another, even bigger thank you goes to my reviewers! The response I got for the last chapter was truly overwhelming! You guys are amazing. This story would be nothing without you._

_Warning: Sasuke might just be a teeny, tiny, little bit OOC here._

_Enjoy!_

* * *

_**Incomplete**__  
By The Terrorist_

_**Chapter Thirty**__  
Can't Lose You_

* * *

Sasuke was unsure of how he got to where he currently was. He knew he had been taken there, fought off, pushed and ushered, but there was little other than that that he could remember. Everything was hazy – and focused entirely on her. Her pale face. That oxygen mask that seemed to be too big for her. Her pink hair, matted with blood, spilling across white sheets lifelessly. He recalled screams, shouts, directions. Frantic voices around them, hands touching her, feeling her, hooking her up to intimidating-looking machines. Sirens wailing, people shouting. Her small, fragile hand in his.

And then she was gone, and nurses were pushing and pulling at him, yelling and hissing, trying to make him understand that he _could not_ go with her. He found it hard to do so, even now. She was his wife – and he was everything she had. How could they not understand that? Why would they want to keep him away from her, when it was obvious she needed him so badly?

It was his mother who finally managed to knock some sense into him, to anchor him back to reality. Sasuke could have cried like a lost child into her arms. That was the reason why he had called her, in the first place – because the moment he was separated from her, he started feeling like a little child again, like everything he had ever loved and cared for was slipping from his grasp, and all he could do was watch helplessly as it was taken away forever.

It had been years since he last called his mother for help. She had always been there for him, and he had always known that he could easily just reach out and ask – for an advice, for directions, for anything. But he never did, because he was too independent, too arrogant and self-sufficient.

The truth was that Sasuke, as soon as he stopped being a child, also stopped needing his mother. Sure, some things would have never happened and some decisions would have never been made without her timely intervention, and he acknowledged and appreciated that, but him needing her so badly, being in a situation that, no matter how much he tried, he couldn't find a solution to, him having no other option than to call her, to ask for her, to beg her to come to him…that was something he had never thought would happen again. It seemed like someone out there was intent on proving him wrong, though.

But while her presence grounded him, making him feel less like the mad-man he had been when he first got there, it also failed to comfort him. Truth to be told, he had not even hoped it would.

At that point, there was only one thing that could stop his entire world from crumbling down at his feet, and that was for the damn doctor to appear before him and tell him that everything was going to be alright, that she was perfectly fine, and that other than a wound to her head and a whole lot of blood loss, she was unharmed.

Hours ticked by, and he never did.

Nurses bustled about. Doctors frantically attended to new patients. People filled the waiting rooms, looking every bit as distressed as he felt. Ambulances wailed in the distance, doors slammed and people shouted, and Sasuke felt like he was choking. He couldn't breathe properly, he felt like the world was closing in on him. His hands fisted his hair and he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the pain, the torturous thoughts, words and images, that clearly spelled out that she was not going to make it, that he had lost his chance, that he had _killed_ her. That she was gone before he could tell her how much she really meant to him…

A familiar hand, small and soft, came to rest on the base of his neck, fingers tangling in his short, raven hair as they gently caressed the skin there.

"Relax, honey," his mother's soothing voice reached his ears, and he wanted to lash out, to shout and to glare, because how could she tell him to relax, when his wife was in there, on the operating table, when so much of her blood had been shed and so much time had passed since he last learned something of her condition? But then she spoke again, and her voice was so soft and so reassuring, that he could not bring himself to be mad, and could not stop himself from melting under her touch. "Ripping your hair off will not help anybody."

"But, Mom – " he choked on his words, peering up at her from underneath his bangs.

"You need to stay calm, Sasuke," she told him. "I know that this is hard for you. I can only imagine how you must be feeling. But she is going to need you once she gets out of that operating room, which is why you simply cannot afford to fall apart right now."

"How do you _know_ she's going to be alright?" he demanded. His tone would have sounded harsh, had he had enough strength to back up the angry emotions swirling inside of him.

"She _has_ to be alright," she answered, confidence dripping from her words, "Because you two are just not finished yet."

"But that's exactly it!" he cried, half-turning to face her, his onyx eyes boring with desperation into her dark-brown ones. "What if she's _not_ alright? What if – "

"Shh," his mother hushed him, one of her hands tenderly brushing his bangs away from his face. "Everything is going to be just fine. You'll see."

"But – " he started to protest, only to be interrupted once again, this time, by an unfamiliar voice.

"Mr. Uchiha?" Sasuke had never been more eager to meet someone in his life. "I'm Dr. Ohayashi, in charge of Mrs. Uchiha's case."

"How is she?" he demanded, his entire demeanor changing at the mere prospect of finally learning more about her state.

"Well, I have bad news, and good news," he announced. "The good news is that Mrs. Uchiha's operation was successful. We stopped the bleeding and found out that no major organs have been affected by the impact. However, she has lost a lot of blood, so it is highly probable that she will remain unconscious for a while more."

"And the bad news?" Mikoto prompted gently as she rose from her chair to stand next to her son, placing a hand on his forearm in means of silent consolation.

The young medic hesitated. "She has lost the baby," he eventually answered, genuine regret tainting his voice.

Time seemed to have stopped for Sasuke. The unexpected news hit him like a ton of bricks, knocking the breath out of him and making his heart stop. His knees buckled underneath him, unable to support his weight anymore, and he fell back onto the chair behind him, eyes wide and lungs struggling to breathe.

One look at his horrified expression told Mikoto everything she needed to know. "The baby?" she questioned, a deep frown marring her features. Maybe she had heard wrong. The two of them might have made a lot of progress, but they were nowhere close to being ready to become parents, and there was no doubt that they both knew that perfectly well.

"I take it you don't know what I'm talking about," the doctor stated, looking only slightly surprised. "Mrs. Uchiha was pregnant."

"What?" she repeated, incredulous.

"She had two months of pregnancy," he confirmed.

The words seemed to echo in Sasuke's head long after the young medic was gone, reminding him of all the events that should have clued him in, but didn't, of all the situations that had been so easy to figure out, but that hadn't been paid enough attention, of all the times that she had tried to speak to him, and he ignored her.

.

_"Nausea?" he asked, his frown deepening, but his hand caressing the nape of her neck softly._

_Sakura sighed softly. "Something like that, I suppose," she replied quietly._

.

_"I can't deal with this right now," she told him, her voice soft and breathy. "I don't want to… I don't want to see them, Sasuke."_

_"You alright?" he asked as he reached out for her, no longer interested in getting his way, but in making sure that she wouldn't fall off her feet._

_Sakura frowned lightly, refusing to meet his eyes. "Yeah," she whispered, and brought a hand up to her forehead, shaking her head quickly in an effort to chase the sudden wave of dizziness away. She swayed on her feet slightly, but Sasuke caught her by the forearms and stabilized her before anything bad could happen._

_"Take it easy," he advised, the concern obvious in his voice. "Tell me what's wrong. Have you eaten?"_

_"Yes," she breathed out, her eyes closing on their own accord when he gathered her into his arms, his hand smoothing down her back._

.

_"You're exhausting, you know that?" she told him in a small, but completely sincere voice, as she half-opened her green eyes to gaze at him. _

_Sasuke raised a curious, amused eyebrow. "Is that so?" _

_"Yes!" she exclaimed, her voice dangerously close to a whine, as she hoisted her legs up on the couch, stretching them in front of her. "And because of you, my legs are aching!"_

.

_"Don't fuck with me, Sakura," he hissed, his worry spiking in all directions and manifesting, as always, into anger. "You're in pain," he stated confidently, "and way too pale. Tell me what's going on."_

_"Well, I think I might be getting my period, but I figured you wouldn't be interested in that!" she snapped back, lifting her gaze from the floor and glaring at him._

.

_"I'm calling the doctor," he stated, standing up._

_"No!" She immediately reacted at his words, grabbing at one of his hands with both of hers. "No! Please don't!" she begged, looking up at him in a pleading manner. "Don't call the doctor. I'm alright, I promise."_

_"Sakura, for fuck's sake!" he yelled, snatching his hand away. "You've been feeling like shit for the past three weeks! You're weak and lazy and pale! You fall off your feet and feel nauseous and – "_

_"I know!" she interrupted him, her voice holding an almost desperate edge to it. "I know, but that's how I get."_

.

_"You look sick," he pointed out bluntly._

_"Well, I…" she trailed off for a moment. "I just don't think I can eat any more sweets," she finally said, avoiding his gaze._

_Sasuke frowned. "You've been eating a lot of them lately."_

_"Yeah," she agreed, "but I'm kind of sick of them." She shrugged, looking up at him. "I mean, it's good to eat sweets while you're on your period, but too much is too much, even for me."_

.

_"Sasuke, I really need to tell you something." _

_"Later," he muttered dismissively, not interested in the least, as he attacked her mouth with yet another round of hot kisses._

_"Sasuke, no," she whined, her hands pushing against his chest languidly – and quite uselessly. "Sasuke, I really do have something important – "_

_"I said later, Sakura!" he snapped, tearing his mouth away from hers. _

.

"_Now tell me: where have you been yesterday, all day long?"_

_"Sasuke…" she murmured his name, her eyes flooded with disappointment._

_"You were with him, weren't you?" he demanded._

_"No," she said, shaking her head. "No, Sasuke. Yesterday, I was…I was – "_

_"Stop lying, goddamn it!" he cut her off, grabbing her upper arms and abruptly forcing her closer. _

.

It was incredible how stupid he had been. How in the world could he have not realized what had been going on with her? The dizziness, the fatigue, the mood swings, the morning sickness and _especially_ her cravings! How could he have been so damn blind?

Tears blurred his vision as he drove his hands roughly through his hair, his eyes stinging with the unfamiliar sensation. How could he have treated her like that? For God's sake, how could he have touched Katya?

Sakura was pregnant. Sakura _had been_ pregnant with his child, and she had lost it _because of him._

How would he ever manage to look at her in the eye again?

~•~

Sakura remained unconscious for the following three days. It drove him crazy! The doctor assured him, more than once, that everything was perfectly fine, that the healing process was going as well as could be expected, and that staying unconscious was just her body's way of recovering, but Sasuke had found little comfort in that.

One time, the medic had even gone as far as telling him that it was actually _better_ that the pinkette was not yet awake. He had growled at that, which earned him a light smack on the arm from his mother, and a lengthy, psychological explanation from the doctor, who claimed to have experience with such situations, and stated that suffering a miscarriage was a much harsher blow than people could imagine until it happened to them. The news was delayed, and apparently, that was better, because it gave her body time to recover.

Sasuke was obviously not pleased. He still found it hard to believe that Sakura had been pregnant, not because it was _impossible_, but because it was _surreal_. He had never imagined himself as a father, and he had never imagined a family of his own – not even with Sakura. That would have eventually changed – he knew that for a fact – simply because everything with her changed, but right now, they were nowhere close to being ready to welcome a child into the world, and there was no way she _couldn't_ have known that.

He had been surprised upon hearing the news, shocked even, but he had been even more surprised to discover just how much it actually hurt. In his daze, he had come to the conclusion that it would be easy to get over this – better said, he had tried to _convince_ himself that he would recover quickly, and would therefore be able to support her, to comfort her, to take care of her, like he should have done from the very beginning. Days passed, and it became obvious he had only been fooling himself. He was his own wreck, but that didn't stop him from putting her first. The fact that he actually had the _capacity_ of doing that still amazed him, but at least now he knew it was the right thing to do. Being first – that was her place. She was the most important person in his life.

There was no doubt in his mind that he would have been devastated if something had happened to any of his parents, to his brother, or even to Neji, but in the end, he was sure he would have been alright, because he would have had her by his side. But when he saw her there, on that hospital bed, connected to all those machines, skin pale and sickly-looking, pink hair in high contrast with the whiteness of the pillow, despite its dulled color and lack of shine… It was then that Sasuke realized that he could not imagine life without her anymore. If she had died, he would have died with her – it was as simple as that.

It didn't matter that she had said 'I love you' to a man that was not him. It didn't matter that he had been able to place that man's voice the moment Naruto stepped into the waiting room at the hospital. It didn't matter that he felt like a complete and utter jerk, nor did it matter that a part of him was upset with her for hiding her pregnancy from him. It didn't even matter that, deep inside his mind and heart, he knew everything was his fault – his fault for being an impulsive bastard and never giving her the chance to speak up, maybe even scaring her away with his stupid bipolar personality.

At that point, nothing mattered anymore. Sasuke _loved_ her. He _needed_ her. And he wanted her to wake up so desperately that, any moment now, he felt ready to _shake_ her awake if he had to. He was a selfish creature, he knew that perfectly well, and it was definitely not one of his best assets, but that was who he was, and in moments like these, it was hardest to contain his true nature.

~•~

She woke up on the morning of her third day in the hospital, as the doctor was checking up on her.

At first, her brain was unable to grasp what was going on. She had trouble remembering what had happened, and didn't understand why she couldn't recognize her surroundings.

Her green eyes opened gradually, her long lashes brushing against her cheeks as she blinked a few times in an effort to get her vision to focus and the black spots in it to disappear. When they finally did, the first thing she saw was a man, who seemed to be in his early thirties, with dirty blond hair and blue-green eyes that studied her intensely, clinically. It took her another minute to recognize the dreadfully familiar interior of a hospital room, her senses suddenly attacked by the smell of antiseptic and disinfectant that was so specific to hospitals.

The only reason why panic didn't immediately set in was that both her mind and body had yet to fully wake up. But then reality started to gain a more definite shape, one that she was able to grasp more tightly, and long-forgotten memories began to flood her still sluggish mind. It was almost too much, and she had to squeeze her eyes shut in a vain effort to shut them out.

Ever since that fateful night, she had never stepped inside a hospital again; she had never _managed_ to step inside one since then. She had avoided them like the plague, because she knew perfectly well that, if it had taken her two whole years to be able to get behind the wheel of a car without feeling like she was suffocating, it would take her twice as long to be able to set foot inside a hospital and pretend that nothing was wrong, that her most terrible memories did not reside within such white, sterile walls.

The images that invaded her mind were horrifying – and still as vivid as though everything had happened yesterday. It was here, in a room like this, that she had woken up to find that her big brother was dead, that the only person who had ever truly cared for her was no longer going to be able to stand by her side, to fulfill her dreams, to help and support her.

Seiji had meant the world to her. For as long as she could remember, he had been the only one who had ever been there for her in the true sense of the word. He took her shopping, he pampered her, he took her camping and scared the hell out of her at night simply because he thought her reactions were funny; he held her hand as he took her treat-or-trick on Halloween, and lifted her up into his arms so that she could place her own decoration in the Christmas tree. He helped her with her homework and introduced her to his friends. He helped her pick out the clothes she wore on her first date and spied on her the entire evening, claiming that he could not trust his baby sister to anybody yet. He defended her in front of their parents. He carried her home when she was too tired to get there herself and drove her around as though he were her personal chauffeur. He taught her how to swim, how to drive, how to climb out of her bedroom window at night. He wiped her tears when she cried and laughed with her when she smiled.

And he was no longer there. Then her parents blamed her for the accident, and she blamed herself for his death, and then, all of a sudden, she was alone, crying her heart out in a hospital room that, only weeks later, she had to leave on her own, because the persons who gave her life were too busy to care for her any longer.

She would have done everything in her power to avoid returning to this place. It was funny – how fate liked to play with her. But maybe it was a sign, she concluded silently. Maybe she had really been guilty of that accident, of her brother's death. Maybe this was God's way of punishing her for that. And maybe, just maybe, she had finally paid her debts with this.

"What…" she began, but trailed off. Her throat felt dry and itchy, and her voice was raspy, as though she had not used it for a long period of time. Opening her eyes, she let them roam the interior of the room one more time. For how long had she been unconscious? "What happened?"

"You were involved in a car crash," the blond-haired man she had spotted by her side earlier supplied helpfully. Making the necessary connections, she realized he was most likely the medic in charge. She felt a fleeting sense of relief at the realization that he was not the same medic that had taken care of her the last time she had been there. That would have been too cruel. "A driver ran the red light."

Her brows furrowed at the additional piece of information. How was that even possible? Ever since Seiji died, she had always been careful, precisely to avoid this type of situations. "I can't remember…" she confessed in a meek whisper, her head starting to throb painfully as she struggled to put the pieces back together.

"Soon enough, you will," the medic assured her, turning his attention back to the IV drip attached to her arm. "How are you feeling? Does anything hurt?"

"Mostly everything," she replied sincerely, her features twisting into a painful grimace as she tried to move. Almost instantly, a hand rested on her shoulder, halting her movements. Heaving a sigh, already knowing that it was pointless to argue, she relaxed back into the uncomfortable mattress, her hand unconsciously sprawling over her stomach. Then realization hit, and her heart pummeled to her stomach. "My baby…" she whispered, her eyes displaying pure desperation as they gazed up at the young medic, as though begging him to say the right thing.

But he didn't lie to her – he shook his head. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Uchiha."

Sakura shook her head. "No," she said, denying what she had heard even as her eyes filled with tears and her voice started to shake. "No, it can't be. You're just kidding, right?"

The doctor exhaled heavily. "Mrs. – "

"No!" she cried, hot tears spilling onto her cheeks as she squeezed her eyes shut, pain rippling through her at the realization that she had once again lost everything that mattered to her.

"Mrs. Uchiha, please try to calm down," the medic advised her, his hand returning to its previous position on her shoulder – half in silent consolation, half in an attempt to hold her down. "I understand how hard this must be for you, but you risk causing more damage to your body."

"Don't touch me!" she snapped weakly, shrugging off his hand as she tried to sit up. She needed to do something. She was unable to accept that this was happening to her for a second time. It was too cruel, too unfair, and she had done nothing to deserve it – absolutely nothing! "Let me go!" she cried as he forcefully held her down, carelessly trying to fight him off, uncaring of her sore body and still unhealed wounds. She couldn't deal with this any longer; she was tired of sitting around, doing nothing while everything and everybody messed with her as though she was nothing more than a rag doll without feelings. "Where's Sasuke?" she demanded.

"Yume, get me a sedative. Now!" the doctor ordered to a nurse that she had failed to notice before, making her whine as painful tears continued to roll down her cheeks.

"No!" she cried, falling back onto the bed, the tension easing off her body for a second, before her muscles tensed once again. "No, I don't want drugs! I want Sasuke!"

In her pain-induced haze, she couldn't care less about the fact that it had been him who had brought this upon her. She didn't care that he had betrayed her, or that he too, had played with her just like everybody else had done. Nothing mattered, but the fact that she needed him. She needed his comfort, his protection, his strong body and hard embrace, and those beautiful black eyes that always enveloped her with the most wonderful blanket of security and adoration.

"Why isn't he here?" she whined, finally giving up as he continued to ignore her protests and slipped a syringe into the IV attached to her right arm. "Please tell him to come," she begged, another tear slipping down her cheek, her eyes starting to drop and her remaining resistance to melt as the medicine began to take effect. "I need him, please…"

A soft sigh pushed its way past the doctor's lips as he stared at her now unmoving form. "She should be unconscious for a few more hours," he stated, his hands on his lips. No matter how much time he spent in the hospital, he would never get used to seeing such pain. "Call Mr. Uchiha in – it would be better if he were here when she wakes up."

~•~

To say that he was angry would be an understatement. He was livid, furious! He didn't even know whose fault that was – his own, or the damn doctor's.

It was hard to believe that he had spent over 48 hours in an uncomfortable plastic chair by her bedside, watching over her day and night, and when he finally gave in to his mother's pleads and went home to take a shower, change, and get a few hours of sleep, she awakened. It was almost as though everything was nothing more than a cruel joke, a message from God – a message that clearly stated that she did not need, or want, him around anymore.

It haunted him. The simple thought that this could be the end of them seemed to tear a hole through his chest, and he couldn't close it no matter how much he tried.

Sakura was an amazing person, with a heart of pure gold. If he found a way to convey his feelings – and his fucked-up thoughts – into words, there was no doubt that she would understand what he had done and why he had done it. The question was: would she forgive him? Would she manage that feat again, after what he had caused? Would she even _want_ to do that? Sasuke _tried_ to be optimistic. He really did. But it was not in his nature, and every time he opened his eyes to see her there, lying on that hospital bed… His hope died. Little by little.

"What do you _mean_ you had to give her medicine?" he demanded, unreasonably angry. His mother stood by his side, her dark-brown eyes looking up at the doctor in an apologetic manner as her hand rested on his tense forearm. "She's not a fucking dog! She told you what she wanted! Why the fuck didn't you call me?"

"Sasuke," Mikoto interrupted, her voice calm and steady – patient, even after three days of dealing with him, "Calm down. I know you're upset for not being there when she woke up, but you're not the doctor here. He did what he did because it was best. Honey – "

"It doesn't work like that, Mom!" he snapped, desperation lacing his voice, before promptly turning around and heading back to Sakura's side. Flopping down on the chair he had constantly occupied during the past few days, he grabbed her hand and held it to his forehead as he rested his head onto the mattress, his eyes squeezing shut against the prickling sensation of tears.

In the distance, he could hear his mother apologizing to the doctor, as well as his sympathetic response. They both sounded like they cared, like they knew what he was going through, like they _understood_. And while Sasuke felt vaguely appreciative of their support, he was well aware of the fact that they didn't – none of them did. Not even Naruto, who claimed to love Sakura more than he ever would, and who still threatened him with throwing him out of the hospital each and every time he caught sight of him in the hallway. The Uchiha had never been more thankful for Hinata's calming presence; he knew that, had she not been there to hold him back, the blond would have stuck to his word. And Sasuke could simply not afford to stay away from his wife – not right now.

But Naruto had a right to be angry, and for the first time since he had known him, Sasuke was not at all afraid or reluctant to admit it. Because Naruto loved Sakura. She was like a little sister to him – a sister that he believed it was his duty to protect, to shield, to keep away from people like him. He understood that. He had hurt her more than he had made her happy, and it was because he knew that perfectly well that he had allowed the blond-haired man to punch him without even thinking about retaliating in any way. He deserved that hit and a thousand more. There had actually been a moment when he'd _wanted_ him to beat him up, to ease his guilt if only just a little. But Naruto had been surprisingly perceptive, and had let him suffer in silence. The Uchiha supposed he deserved that, as well. No, scratch that – he _knew_ he deserved that. No amount of blood, bruises, or broken bones would make up for what he had done to her – to their relationship, to their marriage, to their family – and he had come to terms with that. At that point, he just wanted her to open her eyes. The rest, he would deal with afterwards.

Sakura felt more than heard his presence when she slowly began to come to the second time. Things were hazy, the edges of her consciousness still blurred by the effects of the medicine the doctor had administrated her, but there was a certain warmth enveloping one of her hands – a loving, protective kind of warmth that she knew all too well. Her body recognized his touch without making the smallest of efforts, and immediately dismissed it as a source of danger or distress, almost as though it was natural for it to be there. Memories flooded her mind at the same time her apple-green eyes fluttered open.

The fight. Her discussion with TenTen. His office. The accident. The hospital, and the news of her miscarriage.

Instantly, her eyes watered, her throat tightening, and she had to make an almost inhuman effort to suppress a sob. It was over, and she knew it before she was ready to even acknowledge it.

Looking down, she was met with the image of his head resting on the mattress, their joint hands pressed together against his forehead, partially hidden by his spiky raven hair that seemed to be even messier than usual. Her heart clenched painfully in her chest. They had tried, and it had not worked. There was nothing tying them now. They had come full circle. And as much as it pained her to admit, there was only one way out now. She knew perfectly well what she had to do, even if it broke her heart into a million pieces to even consider it.

Sasuke failed to notice her awakening, and the air was practically slammed out of his lungs when he felt a small pressure against his hand, her fingers curling loosely around his thumb. His head snapped up to look at her, and he released a breath he didn't know he'd been holding when he saw her green eyes open and set on him.

"Sakura…" he whispered, his mind blank. There were so many things he wanted to do, to say… He wanted to hug her, to kiss her, to tell her how much he loved her, how relieved he was that she had finally awakened… But he knew there was a high possibility for none of those actions to be received well, so he held himself back. The only thing he couldn't stop himself from doing was tightening his grip on her hand, bringing it to his lips, an action she responded to almost unconsciously. Eyes sliding shut, he breathed in deeply, the realization that she was alright slowly settling in. She was breathing and awake and she recognized him, and—

His eyes snapped open as he felt her starting to pull away from him. His first instinct was to stop her, not wanting the little bit of physical contact they shared to end so soon, but when he noticed her trying to sit up, he jumped out of his chair, immediately reaching out to aid her. Sakura was thankful for his help, even though his touch pained her.

She winced as she painstakingly pushed herself into a sitting position, her body still sore, one of her hands holding tightly onto his forearm for support; his other hand rested on the side of her waist, stabilizing her, comforting her without him even knowing. An unexpected pang of pain shot through her abdomen as she tried to relax, and her hand instantly flew to her stomach. She felt Sasuke freeze before her, his arm going taut and tense underneath her hand; unconsciously, unwittingly, her grip on him tightened. More hesitantly than she had ever known any of his actions to be, the hand that had previously been resting on the side of her waist slowly moved until it was sprawled on her stomach, over her own.

Her green eyes glistening with unshed tears, she looked up at him, only to realize that his eyes were focused on their joint hands.

"You know, don't you?" It was a meek, quiet whisper.

When her voice reached his ears, he looked up, locking gazes with her. Swallowing an inexistent lump in his throat, Sasuke nodded.

He wanted to do more than that. He wanted to scream, to shout out, to beg her to forgive him, to tell her that he loved her and that he couldn't live without her. That he would spend the rest of his life making up for everything he had done to her if that was what it took for her to stay with him. She didn't even have to forgive him. She didn't even have to love him back. They didn't have to get back together if she didn't want that. He just wanted her by his side. He wanted her in his house, under his roof, where he knew she was safe. He didn't even want her in his bed if she thought he didn't deserve that. Everything – absolutely everything – could be on her terms, under her conditions. All he needed to know was that, when he returned from work in the evening, she would be there, even to greet him with shouts and hisses, like she used to. He didn't need her to love him back. He just needed her presence in his life. It would break him, but he was ready to make a compromise, because he simply could not lose her. He could not.

Putting that conclusion into words, however, was harder, much harder than it had been to reach it. So he kept his mouth shut. He didn't apologize, and he didn't interrupt her. She seemed to want to talk, and she would let her, because that was the least he could do after everything he had put her through.

"The man I was talking to on the phone that morning was Naruto," she continued after a few moments of tense silence, removing her hand from his forearm and leaning back against the pillow. Sasuke took that as his cue to back away, and he retook his seat onto the chair. "I had just given him the news, and he was vowing to protect me. The day before, I went to see a doctor with TenTen. I wanted to make sure everything was alright with the baby," she explained. "I was going to tell you everything that night, after you came home from work."

He had already known that. Through bits and pieces, through shouts and punches, Naruto and TenTen had filled him in on everything. But hearing it from her in such a soft, defeated, and so incredibly disappointed way was infinitely worse. It was as though he had lived the past three days in a trance, and the weight of the situation, the heart-wrenching reality of it, was dawning on him only now, as he heard her speak. Under normal circumstances, he would have felt comforted by the simple fact that she was talking to him, but now, after hearing her words, he couldn't help but wonder if her voice would ever soothe him again.

"Was it that hard?" she inquired softly, and his heart clenched in his chest. "Did it take that much of your time?"

He remained silent. There was nothing he could say.

"Five minutes top," she said. "If you had given me five minutes of your time, I could have cleared everything up. Sure, it would have probably taken you more – like, a day – to come to terms with the fact that you were going to be a father, but…but it would have saved us…this." She gestured with her hands around her, trying desperately to fight back tears.

Observant as always, Sasuke immediately noticed that. The heart he hadn't been sure he possessed now felt like it was breaking. He clenched his fists in an effort to reign in his emotions and not overwhelm her.

"I had grown to accept it, you know?" she continued, her voice noticeably softer, frailer. His head snapped up upon hearing her, protectiveness curling inside of him. "I had grown to like – no, _love_ – the fact that I was carrying your child, that I was going to have a family with you. We had problems, alright, but I was certain that we could solve them. The only reason why I chose to go to your office that day was because I wanted to prove my trust in you – in us. Trust that I now realize I never truly had, no matter how much I wanted to fool myself into believing that it only needed a little prompting to come to the surface. I often wondered why I couldn't summon it when I wanted… I thought it was my fault." She shook her head. "Now I see… I never had it, because you never deserved it."

"Sakura…" he croaked, swallowing heavily. "I know I've made mistakes. I know all I've ever done was hurt you. But I'm sorry. I – "

He cut himself short when he saw her shaking her head, a bitter smile on her features.

"Please, Sakura," he begged, reaching for her hand. "I'm sorry I didn't take care of you – of both of you. I've done all kinds of things, except for making you happy; I've hurt you in so many ways… I know it's impossible for you to forgive me. I understand that. But please…give me another chance. I want to make up for everything. I want to make you happy, Sakura."

Pink hair spilled over her shoulders as she shook her head. She looked at him then, but not hatefully. No, she was unable to look at him hatefully anymore. She lacked the _strength_ to do so. She felt weak in front of him, in front of the man who had come to mean everything to her in such a short period of time, who had made her lose her mind, who was guilty for the death of their child, of that little miracle she had grown to love with all her heart. She should hate him for everything – it would be completely logical and understandable. But she didn't. The realization hurt more than any physical pain she had ever felt, but she couldn't deny it anymore: she was _in love_ with him.

But she couldn't take it anymore. It broke her heart to even think about the concept of leaving him, but she knew that staying by his side would be even more painful – for both of them.

"I don't blame you for the scene I stumbled across in your office," she said, "because that couldn't really be called cheating. You were angry, maybe even hurt." She shrugged weakly. "That was a mistake – and mistakes can be forgiven. What I can't forgive you for…is the fact that you believed I was cheating on you. Even after you've met Naruto. Even after I've explained to you who he was. Even after…even after everything we've been through together. You've spent two years thinking I was sleeping with men behind your back and often calling me a whore to my face. I always denied it, you never believed me. Eventually, you got your proof – you were my first." She huffed a breath, but she was hardly amused. "To think that even after that, you could come to the conclusion that – that I – " She shook her head. "No, Sasuke. You're a lost cause. And I…I want a divorce."

Reaching that conclusion had been painful. Saying it out loud had been excruciating. But Sakura knew she had no other choice. She had always believed that, after two years of heartbreak, she could take on anything that Sasuke – or anybody else, for that matter – threw at her in an attempt to make their relationship work. She supposed a better way to put it was that she was _determined_ to undergo any form of torture if it promised happiness at the end of the process. She had been wrong. It was disconcerting to realize that it had taken so much – another death, the one of her child, of an innocent being that had no fault for being thrown into this messed up situation – to understand that she couldn't keep on sacrificing herself like that. She was not alone. There were people out there that cared for her. _She_ cared about _herself_. And she had the right to _pursue_ her happiness, not wait for it to come on its own to her, because it was painfully obvious that it would not. She knew that now.

Sasuke, on the other hand, felt like the ground had just opened up and swallowed him whole, crushing him under its oppressing weight. A divorce? He had expected screams, shouts, slaps, maybe even punches. He had expected her to be hurting and him to be unable to comfort her. He had expected to be reminded every second that he had killed their child, that everything was, just like always, his fault. But he had never even thought about this. Her solution was so simple, so short, so – so logical, in a sense. Almost too logical for it to be coming out of her mouth – she, who had been unconscious only minutes before.

In the past, it would have been him who thought about these things, who reached this type of conclusions. It would have been him to hold this kind of power over her, to sit there and watch as she begged him with those beautiful green eyes – words she would never say out loud – to let her in, to give her a chance. When had the situation changed so drastically? he wondered. It took him a moment to come to terms with the fact that he didn't know the answer to that question. But at that point, he didn't even care. She could have all the power she wanted. She could make him beg all she wished – anything and everything, as long as she gave him one more chance.

"You're not getting it." The words were out of his mouth before his mind could even attempt to process them.

Sakura's jaw dropped open in spite of her grief. "Excuse me?" She blinked in confusion – she must have not heard right.

The Uchiha stood up from his chair and buried his hands casually into his pockets. He looked at her as he spoke, not an ounce of intimidation in his dark eyes. He may have not realized what he said until he'd actually said it, but he had meant every word. "I said, you're not getting it," he repeated firmly. "I don't want a divorce, Sakura, and I'm not going to give it to you."

"You're a selfish son of a bitch, you know that?" she snapped, the edges of her temper crackling even through her exhaustion.

"I know." He was not about to deny things they both knew perfectly well. "And you have every right to be mad at me. But I'm not letting you go, Sakura."

She raised an eyebrow. "And why the hell not?" she demanded.

"Because I know I would regret it for the rest of my life," he answered, completely honest. "I'm not leaving you – especially not now, when you need me the most. I want another chance, and if you're not going to give it to me willingly…I'm going to take it myself."

"Oh, yeah?" she challenged, her eyes vulnerably and glassy. "Why now, Sasuke? You've had millions of chances until now – chances that I've given to you without a second thought."

"Because now I know: I can't live without you." His eyes bore into hers. "They say you never know what you have until it's gone. That's entirely true. I'm just lucky that you're still here, with me. And I'm going to do everything in my power to keep it that way, to keep you next to me. I - "

"No, Sasuke," she interrupted firmly, making an almost inhuman effort to keep her voice from shaking. Knowing that the separation would kill what little was left of her was one thing. Hearing him admit so openly that it would hurt him just as much was something else entirely. And she could not afford to let it affect her resolve – she could not. "It's over – for real. I have tried…and I'm not going to say you haven't done the same, because I'm not that much of a bitch. It's not working, Sasuke. It never will. We're just too different, and we have too much of a history together. We…" She paused as she choked on her words, her throat constricting painfully. At this point, every word felt like a stab to her heart. "…We're not meant to be," she finally said, avoiding eye contact. "Please leave."

All she wanted was to be left alone, to be left to cry in peace. She needed to collect herself if she even dreamed about setting things right, about being firm and not giving in to his demands, to his pleads.

Eyes set on her lap, arms crossed over her chest, nails digging into her forearms, she tried to get a grip on herself, to appear strong and unwavering.

But Sasuke saw straight through that. Taking a step closer, he hesitantly placed a hand over her head, gently pushing away the pink locks that obscured his view of her face.

"Sakura…" he murmured, slowly easing down to sit on the bed beside her. Cupping her face into his hands, he gently kissed her forehead. His heart clenched painfully into his chest as her small shoulders shook with barely repressed sobs, and he cradled her into his arms, her head burying itself into his chest despite her slight resistance.

"Don't touch me…!" she wailed weakly, but made no move to even struggle.

"Shh…" he murmured. "It's okay. I'm here."

He kissed the top of her head gently, lovingly, and her restrained sobs broke free. His mere presence sent ripples of pain through her already broken heart, but her entire body craved his comforting touch, and she was in no condition to hide that. Gripping his shirt with all the strength she possessed, she buried her face into the crook of his neck and inhaled his familiar, masculine scent, relishing in the way his large frame bowed over her smaller one, as though wanting to shield her away from the entire world, from all the dangers and heartbreak, to keep her safe and protected and there – in his arms.

And for the little time that he held her, she allowed herself to think that he might succeed.

* * *

_A/N: Let me get this off my chest first: I AM NOT PLEASED AT ALL WITH HOW THIS TURNED OUT!_

_Okay. So, this is it – chapter thirty. I know things might have not completely made sense here. The drama will spread over the next two chapters, as well, so I haven't really exhausted all the emotions yet. Both Sasuke and Sakura still have many things to process, to consider, to realize, so this chapter might have come off as unsatisfactory. I can only hope that, when coupled with the following two, it will make more sense, and finally seem complete. _

_Anyway, this update was quick. I can only hope the next one will be the same. _

_Reviewers get cookies, as usual, so please review! I really, really want to know what you guys thought about this chapter!_


	31. Home

_A/N: Hello, everybody! Sorry for the long wait. I needed a little break from this story. Anyway, here it is: chapter thirty-one!_

_Thank you, thank you, thank you to everybody who reviewed! I __cannot__ believe this story has over 2,000 reviews already! You guys are amazing!_

_P.S. Special thanks to those who pointed out my spelling mistakes! I should have corrected them all by now :D_

_Oh, and the story won't be over in two chapters. Only the whole accident arc will. Then the fluff will begin. Haha, I can hardly wait! Sorry for the mix-up! And enjoy!_

* * *

_**Incomplete**__  
By The Terrorist_

_**Chapter Thirty-One**__  
Home_

* * *

Sakura remained in the hospital for three more days, before being released with nothing more than a sore body, a bandage on her forehead, and a loss she would have done anything to avoid.

It would be a lie to say that she had been alone. It was only during moments like these that one really got to see just how many people loved them, just how cared for they actually were. Sakura was happy to say that she was content with the numbers.

TenTen and the girls had visited more than once during her short stay in the hospital, hanging around for hours in an attempt to cheer her up. Ino and Temari kept the conversation going and filled her mind with juicy gossip and last-minute news; once or twice, they had even managed to make her laugh. It had been a dull laugh, though, nothing like her usually cheery, carefree one. TenTen and Hinata knew better than to do anything else than play along. The two blondes still knew nothing of her pregnancy, and Sakura preferred it that way. She wasn't sure she could handle seeing pity in somebody else's eyes right now; she had enough of a burden to carry, and her two friends seemed to know that, for they never brought the subject up when the five of them were together. Sure, there were subtle touches and meaningful glances meant to comfort, to convey a good-natured message, glances that told her they understood her. Sakura knew better than to fall into that trap and believe they actually did, because that would be stupid. They _tried_ to understand, and for that, she was thankful; maybe, to a certain degree, they even managed to scratch the surface, but that was pretty much all there was to it. One could never fully understand such a situation until they went through it themselves, and that was alright, because Sakura truly hoped nothing like this would ever happen to any of her friends.

Naruto was, by far, the loudest in his attempts to comfort her. He was angry, and he believed he had a right to be. Sakura blatantly refused to tell him everything that had happened that day, all the events that led to the accident, but the blond needed very little to rile him up. With him, things had always been surprisingly simple. When he was happy, he was happy. When he was upset, he was upset. And now he was angry—very angry. The only thing he knew – the only thing he _needed_ to know – was that Sasuke should have protected her, and he didn't. He was well-aware of the fact that there was nothing he could have done to stop that accident, but he was also certain that the Uchiha could have found a way to stop _her_ from getting involved in it. In a moment of weakness, Sakura had found herself agreeing to him—the blond had no idea just how right he truly was.

Naruto was also the only one who understood just how deeply this accident had affected her – how many old wounds it had opened. He made connections with her brother's untimely death faster than she had expected, considering the small amount of information she had managed to give him. She was quick to brush his worry off, though. The subject was so sensitive and it still caused her so much pain, that Sakura wanted to avoid it by any means possible. Sure, she was well-aware of the fact that she would never get closure that way, and as the rational person she liked to think herself as, she also knew that wasn't for the better, but she didn't care, because she didn't _want_ closure. She didn't want to let go of her brother. He was the only person who had ever loved her without question, and she wanted to hold onto everything that had to do with him for the rest of her miserable life. Spreading the secret, telling people things about him – even though those people happened to have once been his friends, having to speak in the past tense when referring to him… All that seemed like letting him go – like allowing her most precious memories to escape. And she didn't want that. She wanted all of them to remain buried deep inside her soul, tucked away from the harshness of the world, of the reality – a little corner she could always find refuge in.

Not surprisingly, she found the presence of the Uchiha family's members to be most comforting. They were quiet and understanding without her having to explain anything, and although she knew she was just casting another illusion upon herself, with them around, Sakura felt like she actually had a family.

So when Itachi came to talk to her, to advise her like he always did, calm, collected, and so damn caring, Sakura found it easy to pretend that he was her older brother. Not Seiji. Another brother – family. When Sasuke spent the night clinging to her hand, she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep thinking that nothing was wrong between them, that he was just a concerned husband that wanted to keep his wounded wife company. And when Mikoto hesitantly stepped inside her hospital room, the longing obvious in her tense posture, when she took a seat on the bed and hugged her wordlessly, Sakura let go – she crumbled into her arms and cried her heart out, confessing things she could now hardly remember. It had been easy to fool herself into believing that she actually had a mother by her side.

Everything was fake, she knew – just another figment of her overactive imagination; a big, fat lie that would, rather sooner than later, end. Her defenses had been shattered, broken through with the news of her miscarriage, and she was making no move to build them back up. She was allowing herself to be weak again, to yearn for things she could never have, things that, time had proven, were not for her. Maybe that was a mistake. But she was hurting and breaking and bleeding, and she believed she at least had the right to _imagine_ a family, to _imagine_ safety and comfort.

Even though she knew perfectly well that the harsh reality would crush her once she stepped out of that hospital room.

~•~

"Gosh, I feel so – so powerless," Uchiha Mikoto whispered as she stared down at the half-empty coffee mug in her hands. "I feel like they're destroying everything they've tried so hard to build as we speak…and I can do nothing to stop them, to guide them down the right path…"

"You can't know what the right path is, Mom. That's up to them to find out," Itachi replied in his usual calm, no-nonsense tone.

Mikoto raised her head to look at him, a frown marring her features. "Itachi, don't you realize? They – "

"They are not children," he firmly stated.

Her eyes narrowed – half in annoyance, half in suspicion. "He is my son. And you have no idea how much it hurts to see him on the verge of losing everything."

Watching his reaction – or lack thereof – she couldn't help but wonder, yet again, just what was going through his head. He was hard to read, but she was his mother. There was a certain tension in his posture, something in his eyes that told her he was not as regretful of the situation as she was – and as he _should_ be. He was upset, but it was clearly for different reasons. Looking at him, she realized that the problem must run deeper than what she had been able to grasp; either he knew more, or he was _seeing_ more. She inclined towards the latter; Itachi had always been more perceptive than anyone in the family. He knew Sasuke like the back of his hand, and to some extent, he even knew Sakura. Mikoto had known from the very beginning that her younger son was not treating his wife right, but Itachi had always known more than her – he knew the details, the outcomes, the consequences. He very rarely stepped in, but that hardly meant he had no hard feelings on the matter.

His silence, although not a surprise, unnerved her. She knew him well enough to be aware that it was not the kind of pensive silence she was used to that surrounded him at the moment. It was another kind of silence—a calm, resolute one. Itachi had made his decision—and she wasn't quite sure how she felt about that.

"Itachi," she whispered, her dark eyes meeting an identical pair across the table. "Itachi, what do you know?"

"Not much," he answered, and broke eye-contact as he took a nonchalant sip from his tea. "But it doesn't take a genius to realize that he screwed up again. It's what he does best." His gaze met hers again. "I hope you are aware of that."

Mikoto sighed. It was true – Sasuke had made so many mistakes, but it was impossible for her, as his mother, to blame him. He was still a child in so many aspects – and perhaps more importantly, he was _her_ child.

He was not mean. He was not a bastard, like everybody seemed to think. He reacted badly. He let himself be driven by rage. He made all the wrong decisions, and he was still paying the consequences. Maybe he had bad intentions. Maybe a lot of the things he had done to Sakura – things she could only imagine had broken her – were intentional. Maybe he had _wanted_ to hurt her. But not genuinely. She did not think _a part_ of Sasuke could ever hurt another human being like that. The man everybody had seen for the past two years? That was not him. Maybe other people had trouble seeing that, but not her, because she was his mother. She had given birth to him, she had raised him, she had educated him. She knew her son. And he was that man that had been standing by his wife's side for nearly a week, devastated by the mere prospect that something – _anything_ – could happen to her; a man that had almost cried on more than one occasion; a man that obviously loved her with every fiber of his being, no matter how much trouble he had with admitting that.

Time had changed him. This marriage had changed him, warped him into something he was not. Sasuke had never been one to do what he was told just because he was told. As a child, he had only ever wanted his father's approval. To find out that he would force a woman on him – and not just that, but that he would do it because Itachi had rejected her – to know that his older brother could refuse what he could not… To remember all the times his mother had told him that his father loved him just as much as he loved his brother, that when they were alone, he only talked about him… To look back at everything and have the circumstances force you to think that your entire life is nothing more than a bunch of lies and delusions… Mikoto could not blame him.

She knew that this – his anger, his hatred, the rage that had driven him for so long – had never been about him being forced to marry Sakura more than it had been about his father forcing him to do something he had not wanted to do, as though he didn't care about him, as though he was not – had never been and would never be – on the same level as his older brother. To this day, however, Mikoto had no idea what he had been trying to prove, who he had been trying to spite, why he had wanted to hurt Sakura so much, or why he had thought – even for a moment – that breaking her heart would make him feel better. He pushed her away with a stubbornness that she was certain only he was capable of displaying, because _he had not wanted _her. He had not wanted this marriage, and because of the resentments he had for his father, he refused to see the good part in it – he refused to see what his father had seen all along.

It wasn't that Fugaku had thought Sasuke would never settle down – no. And if he did, it wouldn't have been his problem, because both of his sons were free to do what they wanted with their lives. But Fugaku had not doubted for a moment that Sakura – the quiet, well-mannered, beautiful green-eyed nineteen-year-old that had been presented to him – would win his youngest son's heart.

This had never been about Itachi. It was likely that no one but the three of them knew this, but Itachi had never even been included in the equation. Her husband chose Sasuke because he had known Sakura would be perfect for him. But when his youngest son was presented with the news and lashed out in a fit of anger, surprising them all by not even wanting to meet the girl and demanding to know why him, Fugaku had been forced to make a hasty decision. He was a man of few words; he would much rather lie and let others think he was the villain in a story than attempt to put what he was feeling into words and admit to Sasuke that he only wanted the best for him. He had always assumed that the people who were closest to him, the only ones that truly mattered, would be able to decipher his body language, his cryptic answers, and his confusing actions. For the most part, he was right.

Because, had Sasuke had a little more confidence in his father's affection for him, he would have managed to do just that. But the moment Fugaku broke the news to him… It was as though his entire world tumbled down to his feet; his worst fears came to life, and every suspicion that accumulated over the years was proved. Her heart broke at the realization that he had been waiting for that moment his entire life.

And when he walked out of the house and slammed the door behind him, he was done. Done with his family, with his father, and most of all, with hoping that, one day, he would be good enough to be acknowledged by him, to see pride in his eyes when he spoke of him. And he changed. The center of his universe shifted. His purpose in life became different. Mikoto doubted that he actually had a purpose anymore. But none of that was his fault. It was the circumstances that drove him wild, that made him do what he had done, that compelled him to change, to hurt, to channel that hate, that hurt, and that anger somehow. Sakura was a victim. But so was Sasuke. And maybe it would be easier for all of them to blame Fugaku for everything, but she knew that would be unfair, because quite frankly, they were all at fault here. For the decisions that were not made, for the choices that were wrong, for the time that was lost and the lies that were said.

"It's hard to think that…that everything we've seen was just another façade," she confessed in a whisper. "That their happiness wasn't for real."

"They _were_ happy," Itachi disagreed.

"Not as happy as they seemed," she countered, her saddened eyes wandering down to her cup of coffee. "She changed him; she made him _Sasuke_ again. And she was also finally able to be herself. But with so much history between them…" She shook her head. She had been a naïve fool to believe that everything could be solved so easily.

"All this time, and he only now realizes he loves her," Itachi stated, his tone neutral, as though he was merely analyzing a case. "That is not a mistake anymore, Mom. That is stubbornness. That is arrogance. And resistance – refusal to finally start appreciating what he has."

"I know perfectly well what that is," she told him. Her gaze was stern as it met his. "Nobody's perfect. He may be naïve, but he is my son. And I will stand by his side until the very end."

"Very well," he agreed, nodding. "Then with the knowledge that he benefits from such loyal supporters, I will move to Sakura's side. She needs me more than he does. Not to mention that she actually _deserves_ my support."

For a moment, Mikoto wondered if he was mocking her. But then she remembered that none of her sons would ever do that, and heaved a sigh as she reached for his hand across the table. "Why are you so upset?" she murmured, her gaze holding his. "I understand that you care about this girl, and believe me, I am well aware of how unfair this situation is. But Sasuke is your brother…"

Itachi averted his eyes, but otherwise remained quiet, the only sign that he had heard her being the muscle that had twitched in his cheek as he clenched his jaw.

Mikoto knew better than to push the matter any further.

"The girl's parents," she spoke after a few moments of silence, trading the subject for what was hopefully a lighter one, "I haven't seen them around at all. Have you not called them?"

"I did call them," he answered acidly, his usually calm, soft voice dangerously close to a growl.

Mikoto frowned. "Then –" She cut herself short, realization dawning on her. "My God," she breathed, her eyes sliding closed as one of her hands came to rest on her forehead.

His chair scraped lightly across the floor as he stood, and her head snapped up to look at him. "I'm going in there," he announced.

"Itachi," she whispered, her eyes pleading, "Please –"

"Sasuke is my brother," he interrupted her, dark eyes flashing briefly with emotion, "I know that. And as his brother, I believe I have done everything I could to open his eyes and guide him down the right path. He refused to listen. He probably thought I was an annoying man who acted out of guilt. I could care less about that. The circumstances changed. The stakes are higher now. And I am not going to allow him to take advantage of her current state for his own selfish desires, like I know he will. Sakura needs someone to defend her, and that person will be me."

He turned to leave, but the desperation in her voice as she called out for him stopped him. "She told him she wants to _divorce_ him!" she snapped.

He stiffened, one of his hands already resting on the doorframe. He swallowed before speaking, his mouth suddenly dry. "Good."

"Good?" she repeated, incredulous. "They love each other, Itachi! They will be miserable without each other! You know that perfectly well!"

"The only way they will be miserable is if they choose to continue with this joke!" She opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off. "They don't trust each other. She couldn't bring herself to tell him that she was pregnant; God knows what stupid thing he did in response! Love is not the answer to all of their problems, Mother!"

"It is the most important thing," she argued, stubbornly holding her ground.

His eyebrows rose. "You really think so?" She nodded firmly. "And to what served her? Loving him all along? Trying to open his eyes? Taking everything he threw at her? If love is the most important thing, then let me tell you that some people would gladly give it up. And I believe Sakura to be one of them."

There were tears in her eyes as she crossed her arms over her chest and looked away, and that made Itachi's stance soften. The way they saw things was obviously different, but neither could deny what the other was saying, nor could they deem it untrue. He could not say that love _wasn't_ the most important thing, and she could not say that living without it wasn't for the better in some situations.

"Look," he began, more calmly this time, "I trust Sakura. She is rational. She is smart. She knows what she is doing. If –"

"She had no idea what she is doing!" she snapped. "I talked to her."

That stopped him. His mother had always wanted to become closer to Sakura, but the relationship she had with his little brother flat-out impeded her. Mikoto was an incredibly loyal person, and an amazing mother; because of that, it was sometimes hard for her to judge things objectively. She loved Sasuke more than anything else in the world, and although she had wanted to comfort the girl – because it had been obvious, from the very beginning, that she benefited from none of the support Sasuke did – she hadn't dared to approach her for fear that Sasuke would see that as a betrayal; she, herself, would have felt as though she were betraying him. But despite that, it only partially surprised him that she had finally gathered her courage and flittered to Sakura's side. His mother had a heart of gold, so it would have been purely impossible for her to stand behind that door, knowing perfectly well how much Sakura was suffering, and not even make an _attempt_ at comforting her.

"I tried to make sense of what she was thinking," she continued, her voice softer – defeated, somehow. "But I doubt that managed to do that herself. She broke down – and I could see just how hard she was trying to keep herself together, but it was impossible… My heart broke at the sight of her."

A soft sigh pushed its way past Itachi's lips as he remembered his own similar experience. Only with him, Sakura had been surprisingly composed – too composed. He could only guess that she lacked the necessary strength to keep that façade on for too long.

"This is just too cruel," his mother whispered, almost disbelievingly, as she slumped back into her seat. "She wants to divorce him, but she doesn't. She wants to keep away, but she needs him. And she's just…so devastated with the loss of her baby… It makes me wonder if this girl will ever be alright again."

"She has to be," he replied firmly. "She is a strong woman. She will get over this."

"I have no doubt that she will," Mikoto said. Her eyes were weary as they rose to meet his. "But this kind of things scar you forever, Itachi."

~•~

"I brought you some clothes."

Sakura reached out to accept the proffered shopping bag with a small, grateful smile. She had already taken a shower, and was eager to finally trade the hospital gown for some proper clothes, no matter what kind those happened to be. She supposed neither TenTen nor Sasuke would have agreed to bring her a pair of high-heels, no matter how much better they would have made her feel, and she had refrained from asking, because, quite frankly, she doubted that she could walk in them right now.

Peering into the paper bag, she smiled softly; a soft, purple hoodie and a pair of dark-blue jeans lay neatly folded, along with a pair of suspiciously well-matching sneakers.

"Did you choose them?" she asked, bemused.

He looked surprised by her question, but he answered, regardless. "No, TenTen did." He hesitated, swallowing heavily, before adding, "After she… After she hit me with pretty much every article of clothing from your closet…and then threw some shoes at me, for good measure."

His choice of words would have usually told her he was annoyed, but this time, there was no noticeable sarcastic timbre or hint of anger bubbling beneath the surface. Actually, standing there, with his hands in his pockets, gaze nervously holding hers, his entire demeanor unusually hesitant and fidgety – Sakura realized that the word to describe him was 'cute'. He was acting almost like a teenager who was preparing to take his girlfriend out on their first date.

Her mind was quick to squelch that thought. What was wrong with her? Was she a masochist? This was hard enough as it was—there was no need for her to complicate matters even more by imagining things that were not real, things that were out of her league, things that could never happen.

But she was right. The comparison might have not been the most fortunate one, given their current situation, but there was no denying the fact that she had read him perfectly well. Sasuke _was_ hesitant. And he _was_ fidgeting. And he was scared – _so fucking much._ He would take her home. She seemed to have lost all will to protest, and he was thankful for that. But then what? What would happen once they were in the confines of their home? Would she listen to what he had to say? Would she agree to give him a second chance? Hell, she seemed almost willing to come back home with him; was it possible that she had not meant what she said about wanting a divorce? Maybe. Anything was possible, and for the first time ever, that knowledge comforted him.

But even as he tried to be optimistic, even as he tried with every fiber of his being to think positively, the rational part of him – a part that was much bigger and much more confident – mocked him. Of course she had meant that. Sakura always meant what she said. Maybe when she was too angry to think straight and spouted off curses and insults – maybe then she might regret her words. But a decision like that? With the reasoning and the consequences perfectly analyzed and lined out? That was thought out. Those kind of things were always thought out with her, no matter her state. And that was what pained him the most. Knowing that Sakura had taken into consideration all possibilities, analyzed all options, put everything into balance, and eventually reached the conclusion that he was not worth the effort, that he was not good enough for her. Now that – that hurt. And it was the kind of sharp, heart-wrenching pain that he doubted he had ever felt before; the kind of pain he knew no one else could ever make him feel, no matter how much they tried.

With a heavy heart, he watched as she ambled her way out of the small bathroom, dressed neatly in the clothes he had provided for her, face clear of any cosmetic product and long pink hair pulled back in a high pony-tail. She seemed incredibly small and vulnerable without the heels he was used to seeing her wear. She was dressed warmly, but it was as though she was stripped bare in front of him. There was nothing she could hide from him now. The sharp pain, the dull anger, the calmed frustration, the roaring confusion – her green eyes showed them all, and even if they didn't, he would still know they were there, inside of her, because he had been the one to cause them. Lines of a grimace marred her features, and one of her hands was resting on her abdomen. It was practically a no-brainer when he reached out to help her, and despite everything, she seemed grateful. It amazed him, really. It amazed him that she trusted him enough to lean even a fraction of her weight against him, that her small hand could hold so tightly on his larger one, that she had not hesitated for a moment before she accepted his help. But he was grateful, too. And he knew now – he should honor that trust.

So he would take her home. He would make sure she ate something, and then he would take her up to her room and tell her to get some sleep, because she had been up on her feet for a total of ten minutes, and she already looked too pale for his liking. He would tuck her in – and if she let him, he would watch over her. They would deal with the rest in time, with each problem as it came. She would be by his side – everything else mattered less. He would have a chance to explain himself. And maybe that would be enough to make her change her decision.

Then the door opened, and Sasuke could only watch, desperate, as his dream was ripped to shreds right before his eyes.

"Out," a gruff voice demanded, the imposing figure of his older brother filling the doorway. Sasuke tried not to feel intimidated, but with their most recent conversation clinging heavily in the air between them, it was hard not to. Itachi was here with a reason – and that reason was no longer Sasuke. "I'm taking her home. Out," he commanded once more. "Now, Sasuke."

It took all the strength he possessed to let go of the small hand cradled gently in his larger one, and as he stepped away from its owner's equally small body, he felt sapped of energy.

Itachi had always been a frustratingly calm and collected character. Nothing seemed to faze him; it was as though he had seen it all, as though there were hundreds and hundreds of years of maturity hidden inside his young body. Because of that, it came across as a mild surprise when Sasuke realized that his older brother was more disappointed in him than them all.

Naruto had hit him; TenTen had yelled at him, and eventually also hit him; Sakura's girlfriends still glared at him every time he walked past them; his own mother had rebuked him, albeit gently, and his father had shaken his head and left the room. While Itachi… Itachi had merely looked at him with those dark, bottomless eyes – and there was so much shame and disappointment swirling in them, that it made Sasuke wish the ground opened up and swallowed him whole right then and there. Because he had believed in him, offered him a chance he very rarely offered to people. And what had Sasuke done? Discarded it without a second thought – and in such a manner that it surprised even his composed older brother.

Sometimes, when the hospital chair was particularly uncomfortable and the cold nights dragged on, he wondered just what kind of monster had taken residence inside him – what kind of monster he had turned into. To do that to his brother, to the person who once meant the world to him… For as long as he could remember, Itachi had been more than a brother; he had been a protector, a teacher, an advisor, a trustworthy person that was always, always there when he needed him. Perhaps that was the reason why Sasuke had never truly realized the gravity of his actions until the time came for him to face his brother.

The young Uchiha had told nobody about the details concerning the accident he had involuntary caused, but with Itachi, there was no need for him to do that. He had seen through him, just like he always had. Sasuke doubted he knew exactly what had happened, that he understood the sheer magnitude of his mistake, but he was one of the few people to notice that he was feeling guilty, and that alone had been enough to clue him in. He had been short, but clear, and as much as it pained him, Sasuke was forced to come to terms with the fact that Itachi was no longer on his side.

"You have made me a promise and you have broken it," he had told him, tone clipped and voice hard as steel. "You are done with my support, Sasuke. From this moment onwards, I will not raise a finger to help you anymore."

Sasuke – frustrated, annoyed, and still so foolish – had bristled. "Do you really think I meant to break that goddamn promise?"

"No," Itachi had answered – so firmly that it surprised him. "But the thing about life, little brother, is that it very scarcely gives you the chance to explain yourself."

His brother cared about Sakura – possibly more than any other member of his family did. Maybe he felt guilty, but Sasuke knew there was more to it than that. For all he knew, his father had yet to spare her a second glance. His mother would take his side no matter what he did. But Itachi was more rational than that. He had helped the two of them in anything he could, had done everything in his power to open his eyes, to get him to see that their relationship could work, if only he gave it a chance. He had gotten so involved that he now felt responsible for Sakura – and for everything that happened to her. It would probably be a stretch to say that she was like a little sister to him, but that mattered less, because Itachi had always been the one to pick up the pieces of what he – the rebel – destroyed and left behind. In the past, he had always been docile, forgiving, incredibly understanding. Sasuke hadn't known to appreciate that. And now it was clear that his brother would take no more of his bullshit.

And as he took one last glance at him before exiting the room, Sasuke realized that, if Sakura asked him, he would never bring her home. If she asked, he would take her away from him.

One word from her, and this could be the last time he saw her.

~•~

There was no denying the surprise Sakura had felt upon witnessing Itachi's sudden, unexpected arrival. Sometime during her stay in the hospital, she had come to terms with the fact that Sasuke would disregard her wishes – though that was improper said, seeing as she was well aware of the fact that, at this point, she had a very poor idea of what she truly wanted – and take her back home with him. She was too exhausted to protest. Or maybe she simply didn't _want_ to protest; maybe she yearned for the comfort the idea of 'home' offered her just as much as she yearned for peace and tranquility, and a world where she wasn't always a victim. She couldn't know whether she was doing the right thing by allowing Sasuke to believe he had won the battle with a few sweet words and a comforting hug, but what was one more mistake?

Regardless, the way Itachi had entered the room, the way Sasuke had wordlessly obeyed his commands – that left no room for argument. It did make her wonder, though. Itachi was a powerful presence, but he had never seemed more powerful to her than he had in that very moment. In her eyes, he was kind and logic and always seemed to have everybody's best interests at the forefront of his mind. It was obvious he was not as reckless as his little brother; he always thought before he acted. But he had also struck her as the type of person that would allow his heart to lead him, that would – while not give them absolute control – let his feelings leave an imprint in everything he did. To see him behave so coldly and calculatedly was unnerving and disconcerting.

Even more confusion erupted within her when he suddenly pulled on the side of the road, on the highway, nowhere close to their destination, to a store, or even to a gas station.

The low rumble of the engine had barely died down when he spoke, his voice deep and smooth, basking in confidence. "I need to know if you want to go back to him," he told her, dark eyes boring into hers, "Because if you don't, we're going to the airport right now and I'm taking you to Tokyo with me."

Itachi had not lied to his mother – he trusted Sakura; he had faith in her decisions. If she decided that, after everything, her relationship with Sasuke would not work, then he had to understand that it would not work. She was not a quitter – nothing was more obvious than that.

But as he looked at her now, at her dumbstruck expression and green eyes with so much genuine surprise swimming in them, he realized just how right Mikoto had been. Sakura didn't know what she was doing; she had no idea what she wanted.

"What about…?" she breathed, her brows furrowed in confusion.

"Sasuke?" he offered, and then shrugged offhandedly. "He's my brother, and I love him. But he is also a tactless idiot. He doesn't deserve you. And now it's time for you to make your own choices."

Her jaw went slack as realization hit her. "You're betraying him," she whispered, green eyes glistening with unshed tears, "For me." She shook her head. "And it's not worth it."

"It is worth it," he argued. "I told Sasuke he was going to pay if he hurt you again, and I very much intend to keep to my word."

Her frown deepened. "Why?"

"Because you don't deserve what he's done to you."

"That doesn't matter," she cried, frantically shaking her head. "You're his brother. And I don't want your relationship to suffer because of me. Sasuke may not know how to appreciate what he has, but he needs it. You two have such a special connection…a connection I know how it's like to lose. And I don't want him to go through that – especially not because of me."

"You love him." It was not a question – it was a statement.

And Sakura couldn't bring herself to deny it. "I do," she whispered.

Itachi sighed, his hands tightening involuntary on the steering wheel as he gazed out on the windshield. "If you make this decision, Sakura, I want you to think of you."

She blinked, surprised. "Huh?"

"If you decide not to get a divorce, I want you to do it because you love him and because you want to try again – genuinely."

Her gaze drifted out the window as she considered the implications of his statement. Had she thought about forgetting her outburst and the conclusion she had so logically reached? Yes. It was the only thing she thought about, save for the little being that would now never get to see the world. It would certainly be easier – giving up, letting Sasuke win again. And God knew she was too exhausted to put up much of a fight right now. But was that really for the best? In the long run, where would that bring them? Sasuke could keep his promise and change. She could try to get over this incident and learn to be herself again.

But how could she ever feel safe in his arms again? How could she ever feel his lips against hers and not think of them red and puffy and gaping at her from behind a curtain of curly, reddish-brown hair? The incident with Katya had affected her more than she let on – enough that the concept of being in his arms ever again seemed unfathomable at this point. And it wasn't only that, but everything, that made her wonder just what kind of future lay ahead of them should she change her decision. Would they ever get to be like Neji and TenTen? Holding hands and kissing sweetly? Understanding each other through mere glances? Chuckling and smirking and loving each other's flaws? It hurt to admit, but the answer her mind whispered was 'no'.

"I don't know," she whispered. "I'm just…so tired. I'm not just hurt – I'm exhausted. I'm tired of everything. I'm tired of his mood swings, I'm tired of his jealousy. I'm tired of his one-worded answers, of his coldness…" She shook her head, and turned her teary gaze back to him, "I'm tired of trying to make this work."

"He's not perfect," he agreed. "He's more flawed than anything else. But he also loves you. And if you think you'll hate yourself for the rest of your life for not giving him – for not giving you – this chance, do it. One more time."

She was quiet for a moment, before asking in a whisper, "How do you see things?"

Itachi sighed. "It's impossible for me not to be partial to this, Sakura."

"I know," she said. "But I want to hear what you think."

"I think…" He paused, considering his words. "I think that you love him, that you've fallen for him despite all his flaws. I think that it might be impossible for you to be fully happy without him."

She nodded. She believed that, too.

"You're a strong woman. I know you could give him another chance. And I think that this is a chance that you deserve. You deserve to be happy more than he ever did – or ever will, for that matter. My brother… He is just unnaturally lucky. The only problem is that you would have to fight for what you deserve. And if you think the end result will be worth it, I believe you should do exactly that."

Her throat tightened as she met his gaze, his eyes so trusting and so understanding that it ripped her chest open. How long had it been since someone had looked at her like that?

"I'm scared," she confessed in a meek whisper. "I'm afraid that…that if I give him the chance to hurt me again – and I know that, consciously or unconsciously, he'll take it – I'll never recover. It hurts too much. This disappointment…" She trailed off, shaking her head. "I don't know if I can live through it again."

He nodded. He seemed to understand her, and she was grateful for that. Mikoto had obviously been ready to beg her to rethink her decision, ready to do anything that might make her believe her son was worth being given another chance. And although Sakura did not entirely appreciate that, she knew it was to be expected. After all, Mikoto was not her mother; she was Sasuke's. And she would always have his best interests at the forefront of her mind, no matter who got hurt in the process. To her, she was nothing. She cared about her – that could not be denied – but she cared about Sasuke more.

Sakura… She didn't have who to protect her, to defend her like that. She hadn't had that in a long time.

In a way, it was refreshing to see that not all families were like her own.

Itachi surprised her. His devotion to Sasuke was obvious, but he was rational and level-headed – more so than she had initially believed. He was trying his hardest not to be partial to this, not to jump into his little brother's defense, to care about what she wanted, as well, and she appreciated that. But she could tell what his wishes really were – his eyes told her everything she needed to know. He cared about her well-being, and was willing to do as was asked of him, but there was no denying the fact that both his eyes and his body language practically begged her, perhaps even unknowingly, to say the right thing, to make the right decision. And the pressure was almost too much for her to handle without shattering into a million pieces.

"Do you need more time?" His quiet voice snapped her out of her thoughts, bringing her back to reality.

"No." She shook her head, sniffling delicately. "Take me home. I'll see how I handle things."

Itachi looked surprised. "Are you sure?"

"No," she admitted. "But I suppose I will never be sure – until I get there, until I talk to him and figure out how things really are. I can't think straight right now; everything is just too messed up. And even if I decide that I do want a divorce, Sasuke deserves to know that. I won't run away; I don't have a reason to."

"Aren't you afraid that his presence will affect your decision? Given your feelings…"

"Sometimes," she started, shaking her head in a resigned manner, "Sometimes I think I want it to. The prospect of living a life without him by my side is daunting… But so is the one of giving him another chance." She sighed, and ran a hand through her hair. "Too much has happened at this point. I need to think, to put everything in balance."

Taking a deep breath, she turned her gaze to him, and spoke with as much confidence as she could muster, "I want you to take me home."

* * *

_A/N: So, I don't remember ever telling things from Itachi's POV…which is okay. What I do remember is telling you guys in an A/N a little bit about Sasuke's and Sakura's history together—why they got married and such. I will now need to delete that A/N. IF I ever wrote something in the actual story that contradicts what I wrote in this chapter, I'm gonna need your help to find it! :D The truth is that I never intended to reveal more of the circumstances they got married in than what you could all tell by yourselves. But as I was writing this chapter, I figured we could use an outsider's POV, so that some things made more sense and the character's actions got more meaning. I will go back and edit anything that clashes horribly with these new pieces of information. I feel kind of weird that I have to do that—since, you know, this is my story and I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN WHAT WOULD HAPPEN—but hey, we all make mistakes. We're human. And I really think this is for the best. The focus is still on their relationship, but with a little bit of history thrown in there. _

_Anyway. This will probably be the last update for this vacation. School starts in a few weeks, and I'll be out of town for a few days, so I don't know when the next chapter will be ready. But I will try to have it posted as soon as possible._

_Pictures of Sakura's clothes on my profile, as usual.  
One review = One cookie. Please review!_


	32. My Condition

_A/N: I know, I know. You all want to kill me. But school almost did that, too! So… forgive me? :D_

_Thank you all for your reviews! I hope this chapter rises to your expectation. Enjoy!_

_P.S. There is nothing going on between Itachi and Sakura – not even in Itachi's mind. The reason why he wanted to take her with him to Tokyo was because he thought she didn't deserve all the things his idiotic little brother had done to her. You know Itachi, all selfless and loving and cuddly and hot._

* * *

_**Incomplete**  
By The Terrorist_

_**Chapter**** Thirty-Two**  
My Condition_

* * *

It was amazing how many memories a single room could hold. Fights, screams, tears, laughter, forgiveness, second chances; good times and bad times – they all happened there, within the confines of her bedroom. With a heavy sense of dread, she remembered the anxiety she had felt when she first stepped foot inside that room. She was barely nineteen at that time, still young and innocent, and despite everything she had been through, still incredibly naïve. Had there ever been a night that she hadn't spent in her room, on the second floor of her parents' house? None that she could remember. Cold as they had been, her parents had represented her comfort – her safety net – and their home, the place she could always return to, no matter whether someone was there to greet her or not.

And then, all of a sudden, she was thrust into an unknown environment, where she had absolutely nothing to lean on, not even a comfortable room filled with memories of her most precious persons. She was young. She was inexperienced. She had cried her fair share of tears, but she knew _nothing_ about life. She was married to a man who did not love her, and not only that, but she hardly knew anything about him. What would he expect of her, now that she was his wife? What would he want her to do, how would he want her to act? What was her place in his life? And perhaps the most painful of questions: did she have a place at all? It hurt to consider the answer, but even then, she knew she did not.

Call her pathetic, but all Sakura had ever wanted was to be loved – to be wanted, to be needed, to feel like someone out there leaned on her for support. One day, she had made a promise to her brother. She had promised him, on a cloudy afternoon, as she sat sprawled next to his gravestone, that she would find that someone, and that she would cherish him with every fiber of her being. And as she sat on her new bed that night, with expensive silk sheets soft underneath her fingers, she realized that she was left with no other option but to fail him – again.

Sasuke gave her permission to redecorate the room to her tastes the following week. She did. And she would like to say that things got better after that. But they didn't. Because, no matter what she changed or how many decorations she bought, how neat and organized and tasteful everything looked, she remained unable to worm her way into his heart.

What did change was her perception of the room. Without even being aware of what she was doing, she had turned it into a sanctuary – a refuge. Now, she had conflicted emotions even about this. She felt safe in her bedroom. But memories assaulted her no matter where she looked, and she was in no condition to handle them at the moment.

"Sakura… are you alright?" his concerned voice lulled her out of her thoughts, bringing her back to reality.

Her eyes showed disorientation when they met his. Then the fog lifted, and she looked away.

"I…" Her voice was soft and quiet – defeated. "I don't feel so good."

His hand reached out to stroke her pale cheek, and his heart clenched painfully in his chest when she pulled away. She had not flinched, and her gaze had not met his again; the movement had been deliberate, and especially thought-out. It was with that realization that Sasuke wished he could scream – wished he could say he didn't understand. But he did, and that hurt the most.

Heaving a sigh, he stood up. "I… I have a couple of things to solve back at the company."

Looking at her now, lying in her bed, he wanted to do a lot of things. He wanted to hug her, to apologize. He wanted to tell her that he had taken care of Katya – that she was no longer a part of their lives. He wanted to tell her that all that had transpired between them had been nothing more than a mistake – that he had been angry, and hurt, and jealous, but that she had been on his mind the entire time. That every time he kissed Katya, he saw her. That every time his hands touched Katya, it was as though they touched her. That everything lately had always been about her, that she had wormed her way into his heart in a manner that made it impossible for him to kick her out, even if he wanted to. That he loved her – so, so much. That she was everything to him, that she would always remain everything to him, and that he, Uchiha Sasuke, heir to the Uchiha Empire, would crumble if she left him. He wanted to speak, to explain himself, to force her to forgive him. But he had no such chance – not anymore. The way she was looking at him, with those big green eyes so full of pain and sorrow, made him realize that she did not want to hear him.

His brother's words rang into his head over and over.

_"The thing about life, little brother, is that it very scarcely gives you the chance to explain yourself." _

How was it that he was always right? Why was it that his conclusions always made sense? And why was it that he could never figure them out himself before it was too late?

"Maybe you should get some sleep, okay?" It pained him to say those words. "I'll be back soon."

Bending down, he pressed his lips to her forehead, before straightening and walking out of the room.

She watched his retreating figure with saddened eyes. The door closed soundlessly behind him.

It would be a lie to say that she had expected Itachi to bring her home, but she was thankful for that. The elder Uchiha was easier to be around in such moments, and she had not needed to suffer breathing in the same air as he husband. She was not mad at him – she did not have the _strength_ to be mad at him, to yell and to shout, to hit him again and again until it hurt him just as much as it pained her, like she was most likely expected to – but feeling his presence in close proximity to her was… suffocating. It was not comforting, like it once used to be. It was not even awkward or frightening or disconcerting, like before.

It was… different. She wanted him close, but she did not want him _too_ close. She wanted to know that he was there, but she did not want him to touch her, to be next to her, because it hurt too much. Nothing made sense anymore. Her feelings had been reduced to a big jumbled mess. She was unable to tell what she wanted, what she needed, and it hurt.

Eyes cast downwards, Sakura slowly lowered herself to the mattress, mindful of her sore body. Sasuke was right – she needed to rest.

Maybe when she opened her eyes again, she would be able to see the world around her more clearly.

It took mere minutes for her to fall into a restless sleep.

~•~

"Come on, please!" she begged, putting on her best puppy-dog face. "I don't have a car yet! I only have you to rely on for this kind of things!"

"Really, now?" he asked, arms crossed over his chest. An amused grin was tugging at the corners of his lips, and there was love shining in his green eyes – so much love.

"Yes!" She nodded enthusiastically, laughing. "Come on, Seiji!" she whined. "You can't just wave the keys to this baby before my eyes and then say it's time for me to go to bed!"

Seiji laughed – such a carefree, tinkling laugh. A haunting sound that seemed to echo in the darkness of the garage.

"Okay," he relented. "Get in. But keep it quiet, 'cause I don't want Dad to know."

Her happy squeal bounced off the walls.

The next thing she knew, they were in his car, music blasting loudly through the speakers.

"Hey, listen up!" she shouted over the noise, turning the song up even louder.

Her brother smiled, shaking his head fondly as she bobbed her head to the beat of the music, messy pink hair flailing.

"You're driving like an old hag," she laughed as she leaned back into her seat, cheeks flushed and eyes ablaze with happiness.

"Am I, now?" Seiji commented calmly, amused.

"Yes!" she exclaimed, leaning forward and patting the dashboard. "Go faster! I wanna see what this baby can do!"

He could never say no to her.

"Seatbelt," he reminded her, tone infused with the sort of maternal firmness and protectiveness she had only ever heard from him.

Sakura groaned and rolled her eyes in mild annoyance, but complied. His foot hovered over the accelerator for a moment, before pressing down, the substantial increase in speed bringing along yet another bubbling laugh from the pink-haired teenager.

The car was dark, the only light coming from the elegant dashboard or the occasional lamp post on the side of the road, but even that was hazy, diffused. The enhanced speakers were pumping loudly, encompassing every other sound. She was taken – in a place far away, swaying to the beat of the music, a mixture of intoxicating sensations engulfing her, adrenaline overflowing.

Despite that, his scream rang loud and clear in the interior of the car.

It was a terrified scream of her name.

~•~

A small, chocked gasp escaped Sakura's lips as she abruptly regained consciousness, sitting up in her bed in a sudden, jerky movement. Locks of pink hair fell forward, over her shoulders and into her eyes, a thin layer of sweat glistening on her pale skin as dim slivers of light came in through the window. Her heart thumping erratically against her ribcage, breathing accelerated and uneven, her green eyes searched the bedroom aimlessly, disorientated and confused, until reality came crashing down upon her, and she realized that everything had been just another dream.

A lone tear slid down her cheek, unnoticed. Just a dream, she chanted in her mind. He was gone – and she was alone.

Taking a deep breath in an effort to calm her breathing, she peeled the warm covers off her and swung her legs over the edge of the bed, carefully standing up. With a slight wince, she slowly crossed the room to curl up on the window-seat. Resting the temple against the cool, rain-splattered window, she gazed outside, hugging a throw pillow to her chest.

Memories could be horrible, but they were memories of him, and they were welcome at any time, no matter how much they pained her.

Looking back, she smiled as she realized how full of life she had been. The smallest things made her squeal, the worst jokes made her laugh. And she was foolish and naïve and knew nothing of the real world, nothing of how much sorrow and heartbreak was out there. Wrapped up safely into her big brother's love, she was oblivious to them all.

So much time had passed since then… She had changed so much. Life had turned her into a shadow of her old self, a shadow that not even she knew completely.

Green eyes gazed out on the window at the darkened scenery. The rain had stopped, leaving muddy puddles behind; the wind was blowing harshly, and a blanket of clouds covered the night sky. It hardly seemed like summer now. The light the moon would shade every once in a while, when the clouds parted, was dim and pale, serving only to cast more shadows on the surroundings. Vaguely, she noticed Sasuke's sleek black car abandoned in the drive.

Would her brother like what she had become? The answer was clear and painful, and sliced through her like a knife – no. He would want her to be strong, to be tough and take control of her life. There was a time when she used to think she had done that. When she went out with her new friends that night and defied her husband like she had… She had truly believed that signified a new beginning for her – for them. And it had. But the beginning of what? Of yet another lie. Because how could Sakura take control of a life that she did not know, a life that was not entirely hers in the true sense of the word?

Everybody believed that she was fierce and tough and independent, able to overcome every obstacle life put in her way, able to hand her already broken heart on a silver platter over and over, able to close her eyes and take a chance, lunge for the unknown even when she knew – _she__ knew_ – there was heartbreak in that darkness. For a long period of time, as far as a week before, she had believed that, as well. But now… now she didn't know what to think anymore. Looking back at all the conflicted thoughts and emotions, at all the times she had wondered how she should act and what she should do, at all the questions she had yet to find answers to and at all the what ifs that existed even now… Looking back at all that, Sakura realized that she did not know herself anymore.

Her relationship with Sasuke was a mess – had been a mess from the very beginning. A mess that she had not bothered to clean, foolishly thinking that she could leave it behind and simply go on as though nothing had happened. But that was impossible. The past came back to haunt her over and over – and she of all the people should have known that.

She had been so forgiving with him, so understanding, and she knew, deep inside her heart, that it was not like her to be that way. It was not like her to push aside every mistake, every hurtful action, every painful word, in order to just get there faster. Where was the rebel Sakura that would have been out on the door the moment she smelt perfume on her husband for the first time? Where was her sense of justice, her ability to see things for what they were, her logic, her dignity as a woman? She would like to say that they had disappeared because she had matured, because she had been through much more than someone should ever be through, because she had understood what life was truly like; she would like to say that she had acted upon her beliefs. She would like that. But she couldn't. Not because it would be a lie, but because she didn't know even that. Her morals? Principles? Personality? She knew nothing – absolutely nothing about herself.

She did not regret forgiving him. She did not. But she had not done that for the right reasons.

But then again, what _were_ the right reasons? she wondered as she continued to gaze outside into the night, green eyes troubled. Not only back then, but even now, her life was not structured as it should, as any life should, and as always, she was at a loss of what to do.

Who was she? The question stood out from the clutter in her mind.

She was Uchiha Sakura – twenty-two years old, married to Uchiha Sasuke, head of the Uchiha Enterprises, for nearly three years now. She had married him back when she was only nineteen, forced by her father, and although they had both tried, their relationship had never been quite right. She had a brother, named Seiji, who died in a car accident a long time ago. Ever since then, she had constantly been searching for someone who would be willing to offer her love and protection. She found that person hidden somewhere inside her broody husband, but she had never managed to coax it out. She got pregnant, and in a car accident. The impact killed her baby and set her entire world spinning, ruining what little was left of her life. And now she was here – looking out the window and thinking.

And the one thing she knew for sure about herself, after these three years? Looking out the window helped her think.

If that wasn't messed up, she didn't know what was. She couldn't allow this to continue any longer. She wanted happiness. She wanted everything, and as long as she didn't know herself, she could have nothing.

Features set in an expression of determination, she stood up and walked the distance to the bed. Tomorrow, she would share the conclusion she had reached with Sasuke, and hopefully –

Her body stilled in the process of slipping underneath the covers.

_Sasuke…_

How was he feeling? She was hurting – and dealing with much more than he was – but… but he had just found out that he was going to be a father. Everybody blamed him, and Sakura knew for a fact that he was being hard on himself, as well.

With slow steps, she approached the door, resting her hands flat against the wooden surface. She had locked it the last time she woke up. The sky had been steadily darkening at that time, and Sasuke had been nowhere to be seen. But she had spotted his car in the driveway… Sasuke loved his cars – he was a man, after all – and he always took them to the garage. What could have possibly happened for him to abandon it like that?

She bit down on her lower lip. Had he tried to check on her when he came back? How he must have felt when he realized that the door was locked…

Her hand shook as she turned the key into the lock, the quiet click resounding in the darkened room. With slow, yet precise steps, she made her way down the hallway, to where she knew his room was.

The door was left ajar. Taking a deep breath, she gently pushed it open, slipping quietly through the smallest of cracks to peek into his bedroom. Her eyes softened at the sight that met her.

He was sound asleep. He was lying on his stomach, on the bed, his arms hugging the pillow underneath his head. The navy-blue covers had been kicked off on the other side of the bed, and he was dressed in only a pair of black sweatpants. Realization dawned on her as she noticed the clothes discarded thoughtlessly on a nearby armchair. Sasuke was hardly a messy person, but he had been by her side every moment of every day she had spent in the hospital. Neji must have taken care of the company in his absence, but how could one man run an empire meant for two? There was no wonder why he had been late, why he had worked such crazy hours. Once again, she wondered where the jealousy and the suspicions were, the doubts she was supposed to have. She couldn't believe she trusted him so much.

Walking the remaining distance to his king-sized bed, she covered him with the blanket, before slipping in beside him quietly. Resting her head against his bare back, she knew he was unable to feel her presence. Her fingers traced patterns on his warm skin as she listened to the quiet rhythm of his breathing.

What would be of them after this? she wondered, searching the bedroom aimlessly, as though it could offer her an answer. Tears prickled her eyes as thought after thought ran through her mind.

The incertitude of a new day, a day that could very well be catastrophic, in a sense, kept her wide awake, despite the tiredness that haunted her system.

Her heart was racing, breathing frantically against her ribcage, while she curled up against her husband, trying to get his presence to soothe her like it once used to. It was useless right now, though.

She knew perfectly well what she wanted to do. Just like she knew that nothing would ever be the same after this.

~•~

Morning came, inevitably, but the sun remained hidden behind a thick layer of grey, ominous clouds. The new day was dark and gloomy, a suffocating sense of foreboding looming in the humid atmosphere. The rain had yet to fall down, but its future presence was foreshadowed by the low rumbles of thunder that resounded through the landscape at regular intervals.

Sakura was still absorbed in her thoughts.

Sasuke observed her quietly from his spot next to her at the dinner table. She had woken up before him, had done her hair and had even applied a bit of make-up, but her spirits were no better than they had been in the hospital.

He knew she had a lot to process. It wasn't easy – between his betrayal and the car accident, it was hard even for him, who was an outsider, to pick through everything and try to make sense of things.

He supposed the hardest part was the knowledge that she had lost her baby – _their_ baby. Sasuke was unsure of how he felt about that. He was upset that she had withheld such important information from him. That was partly his fault for cutting her off and keeping her busy with his mood swings and his constant jealousy, but there was no denying the fact that she also had part of the fault.

She should have stood up for herself, put her foot down and knocked some sense into him. This was no joke – they were going to be parents. They were in this together, and this was a matter that should have been discussed, no matter the circumstances. Regardless, he understood why she had found it so difficult to approach the matter. They were not ready for a child. They were struggling with a relationship – how in the world would they deal with a family? Sasuke knew better than to believe that the pregnancy had been planned; Sakura's reactions were enough proof of that. The prospect of having more responsibility dumped on his shoulders was daunting, and he felt horrible that she had had to carry that burden by herself for so long.

On the other hand, Sasuke had conflicted feelings about being a father. He was not ready for that, alright. Their relationship was in no way ready to sustain such big responsibility. But this was about a child, an innocent being, and in many, many ways, a miracle. He had never given the prospect of having a family much thought; he had never seen himself as a father, not even in the far future. He was not one to plan ahead. The future was unpredictable, and he preferred to avoid thinking about what could happen next. He liked to be preventive, but there were things that he could not control, things that were dealt with on the spot. He could do that. He had faith in himself. So what was it about this situation that made his mind black out?

Sakura was suffering – it was painfully obvious. And in the days that followed the doctor's news, the days that she had been unconscious, a lot of thoughts had crossed his mind. Most of them were connected to her, and in harmony with the feelings he harbored – feelings of pain and despair and so much hope that it made his head spin. But in his most exhausted moments, the moments when his guard tumbled down because he simply lacked the strength to sustain it anymore, Sasuke had given this matter a lot of thought. Most of it had been unconscious, and he could barely remember figments, but there were a couple of aspects that stood out, glaringly obvious even now, after the happiness of her awakening had dulled everything else.

Looking at her now, despite the tiredness and insecurity glowing in her green eyes, Sasuke knew she was the only woman on the planet that he would want to have a family with, despite how awkward he felt when he thought about that. He had tried to imagine himself holding a small child in his arms. The first word, the first steps. The first time he dropped him off at school. Graduation, winter holidays, family reunions. Fights and make-ups, conflicted thoughts and emotions. The most important moments that he knew his parents had been present at. Millions of thoughts flittered through his mind, millions of possible outcomes and situations. He might have dreamed about it; he might have mulled over the matter too much. One thing he knew for sure: the only time when it felt natural was when _she_ was in the picture.

She would make an excellent mother, he believed, and he had never felt guiltier for a situation that he had, directly or indirectly, caused.

She must have felt terribly insecure, given how much she had hesitated in sharing the news with him. She must have been scared and desperate and felt as though the world was crumbling down at her feet. She must have felt helpless, guilty. But she had grown to love this child. She had steadily become more and more emotionally attached to the idea of being a mother. She had begun to think in the favor of her child, of that little being that was growing inside her and that she had to protect, because she was his mother, and that was what mothers did. She must have been afraid – afraid that she would fail, that she did not have a good role model to follow – but she had suppressed all of that because her child _needed_ her. Her entire world had changed. The center of her universe had shifted. And then everything tumbled down without warning, and she was left with nothing but a broken heart.

For Sasuke, things were easy to handle in that regard. He had known nothing of that child. He had not had a chance to become attached to him, to think the idea through, to see the good part of the situation, to mold his future according to that little being. Although it hurt, because he knew he had been his child, that he had been his father, and that it had been his duty to protect both him and his mother – a duty he had failed at – he was not emotionally involved, so his pain was less intense. But Sakura… she was devastated.

His eyes softening, he reached out to touch her, his large hand covering her small, cold one in a manner that was painfully familiar and comforting for both of them. At least… it used to be comforting to both of them. Because the way her eyes snapped up to meet his and her hand stiffened in his hold told him that she no longer felt the same. But he supposed he could understand that.

"Sakura… are you alright?" It was a stupid question to be asked, but the food in her plate was untouched, and he worried that she was not taking proper care of herself.

"Yeah," she answered, closing her eyes for a brief moment.

Sasuke watched her silently. "Sakura," he insisted, heaving a sigh. "I know you refused to eat last night, too. You have – "

"That's enough, Sasuke," she snapped weakly, failing at her attempt to glare at him. "I'm not hungry."

"Sakura, please," he groaned, leaning back into his seat. "I understand that this is hard and that you are suffering, but I am here, and I want to help you."

"You can't help me, Sasuke," she retorted, her voice firm, yet quiet.

"Because you're not _letting_ me help you," he insisted.

For a moment, she remained silent. Then she stood up and wandered into the living room. Sasuke watched her with confused onyx orbs, before following her.

"Listen," she began, burying her hands into the back pockets of her jeans, her shoulders sagging under the weight of her thoughts. "I've been thinking… and I've come to the conclusion that I could use some time to sort though this mess, to think, to… find myself again. I'd like to go to New York… alone. I'll come back once I'm ready."

With a sigh, she turned to face him, eyes boring into his.

"That is my condition. Accept it… and our marriage might still have a chance."

* * *

_A/N: Hmm… I wonder how Sasuke will react… Haha! I'm evil, I know. But I'll do my best not to make you wait for so long again!_

_Cookies, anyone? Review!_


	33. Let Me Go

_A/N: Gosh! Sorry for the long wait, guys! I was on vacation, but even the vacation was hectic, and I tried – 'tried' being the operative word here, of course – to work on other projects, as well. Hope you can forgive me once you read this! …But somehow, I doubt you will. Haha!_

_Thank you to everybody who took their time to drop me a line! It means the world to me. _

_Enjoy this really late Christmas gift from me!_

* * *

_**Incomplete**  
By The Terrorist_

_**Chapter Thirty-Three**  
Let Me Go_

* * *

There was silence after her statement.

Sasuke stood there, rooted to the spot, with his wide eyes staring into hers, completely stunned.

And she realized in that moment, that she had never seen her husband so unguarded before. Everything about him – from his posture, to the look in his eyes – screamed confusion; it was as if he _wanted_ to understand what she had said, but was physically unable to absorb her words.

But then again, perhaps his problem, even at this point in their relationship, was _accepting_ her decision.

"What?" he breathed out after a full minute of shocked silence.

He blinked, and it was like a semi-transparent veil was lifted off his coal black eyes, only to reveal more confusion, a painful mixture of hurt, denial, and frustration.

It broke her heart to see him so lost.

"I can't stay here, Sasuke," she whispered, her voice losing any trace of firmness as her entire body melted under his gaze. "I can't stay in this house and pretend that nothing happened, that every second spent enclosed within these four walls isn't ripping me further and further apart. I need to be true to myself. I need to leave… at least for a while."

"Sakura," he started, rather abruptly, "What are you saying? What do you want from me? I'm trying. I really am. I made a mistake, and I'm sorry, I really am, but… but we _knew_ this wasn't going to be easy. We _talked_ about this. We _knew_ it would take time."

"I'm not blaming you for anything, Sasuke," she said, feeling the prickling sensation of tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. "And I know we talked about this. We've had a lot of conversations, Sasuke, but really, that was it. We just had them and left them behind, saying that they were over and that we could move on. The thing is… and it's always been about this – I can't get to know you when you don't let me, when you insist on hiding behind that stupid mask of yours, and you… you can't get to know me when not even I know myself. I need some time. Please, that's all I ask."

For a moment, he looked as though he wanted to reply. But then he put his palms up in a desperate gesture, and turned his back to her, his mind reeling as it tried to take in what she was telling him.

She needed time. He supposed he could understand that. He wished he could snap his fingers and make everything alright again, but that was impossible – he knew it was, and even though it frustrated him beyond any limits, there was nothing he could do about that. That was the reason why he had prepared himself for this situation long before she was even released from the hospital. He had armed himself with patience, and had promised himself that he would give her all the time and space that she needed, that he would give her everything, as long as it kept her from leaving him.

But never, not even in his darkest times, had he imagined that she would propose something like this. She was asking him to let her leave. She was asking him to let her slip through his fingers willingly and knowingly and although he wished he could trust her, he had a horrible feeling about this. He couldn't let her do that. He couldn't let her leave him. It went against every belief he had, against everything – _everything_ – he had ever expected from life.

"You're asking me to… to let you go. You're asking me to watch you leave," he choked. His eyes burned unfamiliarly as he took a step back and collapsed on the couch, his knees threatening to buckle underneath the weight of the burden she had placed on his shoulders. Resting his elbows on his knees, he buried his hands into his hair and squeezed his eyes shut, as if hiding away would help block the words she was saying, and prevent him from understanding them, from understanding _her_.

It was useless, though. He could hear every sound, and the more she said, the quicker he was driven towards the inevitable conclusion – the conclusion that rattled the foundation of his entire world.

"It's not like I'm leaving _you_," she answered. She sounded exactly like he felt – desolated, empty, scared.

Sasuke spared her a glace over his shoulder, his voice harsh as he snapped, "Then what _are_ you doing?"

"I need this time, Sasuke," she almost whined, and took a seat on the couch, beside him. She paused for a moment, attempting to control her tears, before she spoke again, "I… This is not only about you and me. It's about me alone. It's… I was broken long before I got to you."

"What happened?" he begged, shifting so that he was facing her, one of his hands automatically reaching for hers. "Tell me what happened."

"No," she sobbed, yanking her hand away. "Can't you see? The time for that has passed. These are things we should have discussed from the very beginning."

His solution was simple, and the hope in his voice as he stated it nearly made her burst into tears. "Then let's start over now."

"I can't," she choked. "I don't know how to act, what to do… I don't know what I feel and what I think… We can't start over like this, Sasuke. It would just result in another mistake."

"Was this what it all was to you?" he demanded, suddenly angry. His voice, however, was noticeably softer – defeated, somehow. "A mistake?"

She could barely speak as her tears choked her. "Then what was it, Sasuke? How do you call it?"

The painful realization hit him like a ton of bricks. She was right. There were happy times – times when he felt that he was the luckiest man on earth for having her in his arms – but nothing they had done had been right, and there was no denying it anymore.

He swallowed hard, slowly turning his head away. This must be the first time in his life that he had ever felt so helpless. Sasuke was a smart man. He could think quickly, and act accordingly; he could be as cunning as a person could possibly be – traits he had inherited from his father. Perhaps that was the reason why his family's business had reveled in such success over the years. Out of the business world, however, he was still human. He may have not had a girlfriend, but he did have a mother, a family. Naturally, he made mistakes. Some of them were pretty grave, too. But somehow, he had always managed to find a way out.

In this case… he could see no light at the end of the tunnel. There was only one option – and that was to let her do as she wished. That, however, would take her away from him, and the mere notion of being physically separated from her was equivalent to twisting a knife into his heart.

"I will… I will call Jenks," he announced, swallowing again in an effort to be rid of the lump that had formed, quite uncomfortably, in his throat. He looked down as he spoke, gaze settled firmly on the floor, knowing that if he risked one glace at her, he would be done with. The situation already pained him more than he had ever thought possible. It was as if a hand had sneaked its way into his body and was sporadically clenching around his heart, tighter and tighter, until he was sure it was going to explode. "He will find you an apartment and… and arrange everything for you."

"Sasuke, you don't need to do that," she whispered, her voice trembling.

"Yes, I do," he insisted. "I'm going to take care of everything, okay? You just… go get some sleep, alright? Go rest."

"Sasuke…" she attempted again. The couch shifted underneath him as she inched closer, her small hand coming to rest on the nape of his neck.

It took everything of him not to start crying right then and there. "Just… just go, Sakura."

Her breath caught in her throat as she heard his choked demand. Her hand jerked away from him on its own accord. Her eyes filled with hot tears, and she opened her mouth to speak. A moment passed in silence, and she gave up. Shaking her head, she stood up, and practically ran out of the room. She refused to look back. She couldn't.

She couldn't, because she knew exactly how much this situation pained him. And he had just proved that his feelings, his need to take care of her, overrode that.

~•~

The week passed in a blur. The words exchanged between them were few. Sasuke asked her when she wanted to leave. What color she preferred for her car. Was she alright with a Ferrari? That penthouse in Manhattan – did she like it? She answered with small, soft-spoken words. Most of the times, she claimed she would be alright with whatever he chose. He found it hard to believe that he was now the one trying to strike up conversations, and she the one avoiding him.

Towards the middle of the week, he began to avoid her, too. Not because he was done with the preparations, because there was a lot waiting to be solved, but because it hurt too much. It was as if her presence was too much to bear – and in his weakest moments, he actually felt like he _wanted_ her to leave. She was already a thousand miles away, and seeing her so cold, so uncaring, so distant… it hurt to the point he would do anything to escape the pain.

Sometimes, though, he felt like all he wanted was to be close to her. Sometimes, when he saw her, all he wanted was to hug her, to bury himself into her arms and stay there – forever.

There was something that Sakura used to do that always calmed him. When he buried his face into the crook of her neck, on the nights that he was particularly tired, she would press her lips to his forehead and run her hands through his hair, slowly separating the soft strands, twirling them around her fingers, playing quietly with them. Then she would massage his scalp, and he would practically purr in pleasure.

Looking back, he saw clearly that he had not known how to appreciate those moments enough. Now, he craved for them. He craved for her presence. Most importantly, though, he craved for everything to be alright again.

Unfortunately, he was realistic enough to know that that wouldn't happen for a long time – perhaps never.

He arranged everything for her. It was painful, but it gave him some false sort of control over the situation. She allowed him to help. She allowed him to find her a place to live, a car to drive, and people to wait for her there, so she didn't want him out of her life. And that was good, because then that meant that he still had a chance.

He wondered if he was simply deluding himself.

A frustrated sigh escaped his lips as that thought crossed his mind. A quick glance at the digital clock lying on his nightstand told him that he had been tossing and turning in his bed for almost an hour now.

Tomorrow had already come – and he was out of time. He squeezed his eyes shut, swallowing against the resistance posed by the tightening of his throat – an action that had already become familiar.

This was it. The day had come. In a few hours, she would be on a plane that would take her away from him, away from their life, away from the ruins of everything they had built in all these months.

He wanted to blame everything on his previous relationships – relationships that couldn't really be called that way – but he knew he couldn't. All of his previous relationship had been failures, and when he finally saw – truly saw – Sakura, he felt a sense of entitlement and possessiveness. In his mind, he was entitled to happiness and love, and Sakura, the person who willingly offered him that, was only his.

He had genuinely tried to make their relationship work, but even so, he had done everything wrong. Feelings and emotions manifested, and because he didn't know how to deal with them in his daily life, he channeled them all into that one domain that he knew he could handle them – into sex.

They never talked. Never went out. Never held hands. Never did anything normal couples did. All they ever did, as painful as the realization was, was have sex.

They had sex when they were angry, when they were happy, when they had a reason to celebrate, or when they had none. They had sex whenever. Whether they wanted it or not, they always ended up in bed, tangled in the sheets. And although what he had with her was different from what he'd had with any other woman, he knew he couldn't even call that making love. There were gentle touches, subtle glances, slow movements, soft kisses… But it was still only sex. Because they didn't _know_ each other. They were being intimate without intimacy. From the moment they'd gotten together, he had learned nothing new about her – and now, after all they had been through in these past few months, he knew just as much about her as he'd known back then, when his main goal was to hurt her.

And it hurt. It hurt so fucking much that it felt as if something was breaking inside of him, leaving him unable to breathe properly.

Three years. Three fucking years, he'd had everything right in front of him. All he had to do was open his eyes and see it. All he had to do was reach out and take it. She would have given him everything, but he, like the biggest fucking idiot on earth, took only one thing – her body. And even that, he hadn't known how to appreciate.

Now… now she was gone. She was going to leave to New York, and although she had promised him that this was not the end, he knew better than to believe that. He wouldn't move on, he knew. He wouldn't jump on the first woman that crossed his path. He wouldn't cheat on her again, and he most definitely wouldn't turn back into the same selfish, cold-hearted bastard he had once been. He had learned his lesson.

But it wasn't him who he was afraid of. It was her. Finding a better man would be so easy… he didn't even want to think about it. She was young. She was beautiful. She was smart and talented and kind-hearted and free-spirited and just about everything a man could possibly want in a woman. If she wanted, she could have any man crawling at her feet in less than a day. Hell, she made _him_ fall in love with her. Him – the dense, stupid, selfish son-of-a-bitch that had always thought that all women had to offer was physical pleasure, that had always treated them like trash.

He was sure that she wasn't going to New York to find a man, yes, but few people were blind enough not to see just how much of a good catch she was. Few men were stupid enough not to notice just how perfect she was. And he was afraid – so fucking afraid – that one of those men, one that wasn't blind, nor stupid, would catch her eye and that, once she gave him a chance, everything would go to hell for him. She would realize just how flawed he was, and that, no matter how much he'd try, he would never be good enough for her.

And then his worst nightmare would come true – the nightmare that consisted of him not being given a chance to _become_ good enough for her.

_"I am __not__ your possession, Uchiha! One day, I'm going to get fed up with all this, and when that happens, I won't give a __damn__ about appearances. I will leave and I will never look back! I swear to you!"_

She had said it once, but he had been too stupid to pay attention.

Now, all he could do was stand back and watch – watch as she was carried away from him, forever.

~•~

The moon had not yet disappeared from the sky when they arrived at the airport that morning. The sky was tinted with dark hues of blue, but the sun had broken over the horizon, bathing everything in a light orange glow. An early morning mist had fallen over the surroundings of the airport, and a chilly breeze blew lightly, but everything else indicated that a warm summer day was about to commence.

Sakura stood leaning against the front of her husband's SUV as she watched him discuss something with the pilot with sad, tired eyes. Behind them, a large jet was parked, the early morning light glinting off its flawless construction. The words _Uchiha Enterprises_ were written across it in bold letters, but Sakura knew it was more for his personal use than anything else.

Releasing a quiet, heavy sigh, she averted her eyes from the scene.

It had been a long week, and although, physically, she had healed, the wound in her heart had spread wider, so wide that she was afraid that she would never be able to patch it up again. It was difficult, fighting her conflicting emotions, and trying to remain positive that she had made the right decision at the same time. Giving in would be so easy…

He would protect her, she knew. He would never make the same mistakes again, would never take her for granted or hurt her anymore. And if he continued to be as sweet and as caring as he had been ever since she had gotten released from the hospital, there was no doubt in her mind that she would open up to him in no time. They would bandage their wounds, shove their mistakes under the carpet, and move on. Perhaps, this time, the result would be better. Perhaps the lie would last longer.

But that was not what Sakura wanted, and although there were moments when she had trouble seeing that, she refused to be weak any longer. She refused to hide behind a strong façade, too. This time, she wanted to _be_ strong – strong and brave, and to make her brother proud. She would take reign of her life. And maybe then she would finally get her real shot at happiness.

The sound of his approaching footsteps made her look up. An emotionless façade had been plastered on his face the entire week, but it was useless, because his eyes gave him away – the pain flickering in them had now become obvious to her.

"Are you ready?" he asked. He sounded detached, and he looked anywhere but into her eyes.

"Yes." For a moment, when his only response was a simple nod, she believed him. But then the veil was lifted off her eyes, and she knew she couldn't leave – not like this. "No!"

Sasuke looked up at her for a brief moment, surprised by her outburst, before he averted his gaze once more. Hands buried in his pockets, he stood beside her, looking in the distance at the large jet he had arranged to take her to New York.

"Sasuke," she tried to attract his attention, one of her resting over his arm. "Look at me."

His gaze was drawn to hers like a magnet after she had said those words. He could avoid her all he wanted, but he could not deny her anything. It was simply not in his power to do that anymore.

"This isn't goodbye," she continued in a soft voice, "This is 'see you later'. I'm not leaving you."

"I know," he replied, almost immediately, and looked away again.

Sakura sighed. Pushing off the car, she moved to stand in front of him. "No," she said. "You say you do, but in reality, you don't. I _need_ this time. And I don't know how to make this alright with you."

He remained silent. He couldn't say anything, nor could he meet her eyes for more than a few seconds at a time. She was better now, he could see that clearly. She was back to wearing make-up regularly, for one. She was dressed in a pair of tight, black pants, a green, loose top, and a black jacket. The heels were back, too.

He had never quite realized how much he missed her – the real her. The Sakura who wore high heels and applied flawless make-up; the Sakura whose eyes sparkled and whose hair never did look messy.

Seeing that he had no intention of replying, she continued. "I can't make any promises. I can't promise you that I'll come back and we'll kiss and everything will be sunshine and rainbows. It won't be like that. And frankly, I don't know how everything will turn out. But what I _can_ promise you…" She paused, taking a step closer and cupping his face into her hands, forcing him to lock eyes with her, "Is that I will come back to you. I _will_ give _us_ another chance."

His eyes lowered again, his long, envy-worthy lashes brushing against the top of his cheeks. A quiet sigh escaped her lips as she realized exactly what was bothering him. "Sasuke…"

"What if you meet someone there?" he demanded, cutting her off. "What if –"

"Sasuke," she spoke, firmly this time, preventing him from going on, as her hands dropped to her sides. "I'm not going there on vacation. I'm going there to battle my own demons. And that's not a pretty process."

She pulled away, and her heart clenched painfully in her chest. His eyes were desperate, begging her – begging her to stay. She felt hot tears well up in her own, and she almost told him she would.

"Sasuke," she choked, burying her hands in the back pockets of her jeans in an old gesture of nervousness. "You can't look at me in the eye and tell me you don't need this time, too."

"I don't want time," he spat. "I want you." He was more than ready to make up for his mistakes.

"Your life couldn't have been perfect before I entered it," she argued. "We once concluded that everything you did was because you were stubborn. But that stubbornness had to be fueled by something. Listen to me," she demanded, her hands coming to rest on his chest. "I don't know what happened in your family, how this marriage affected you all. But you _have_ to leave the past behind. You _have_ to come to terms with what has already happened. Otherwise, you will never be able to look forward to the future. Your mistakes – every mystery that remained unsolved, every question that remained unanswered… they will all come back to haunt you, to control you. Trust me," she begged, "I know what I'm saying."

"Sakura," he said, his voice a mere whisper, as his eyes softened and his hands cupped her face tenderly, his forehead resting against hers. "What happened?"

A small, sad smile twisted the corners of her lips. "I understand myself," she said. "And maybe, some day, so will you."

Her shaking hands rose slowly to rest over his own. Standing on her tiptoes, she pressed a kiss to his cheek, and froze; she lingered there for as long as possible, breathing in his scent, absorbing his warmth.

Then she pulled away.

"I love you," she whispered, her small hand holding onto his larger one until distance forced her to let go.

And with those three parting words, she turned around and started towards the plane.

* * *

_A/N: "Jenks" was the first name that occurred to me. It kinda reminds me of Twilight, but I don't know why… _

_Oh, well. Pictures of her outfit on my profile, as usual!_

_Hopefully, the next chapter will be out soon, but I can't promise you that, because I'm not entirely sure how it's gonna look like. I mean, I know what I want to write, I just don't know how to write it so that it will look balanced and sound good and not seem rushed! _

_Anyway, please review! I didn't get this done in time for Christmas, but I can still hand out virtual candy canes for those who already miss the holidays – like me! _


	34. Time Apart

_A/N: Hello, everybody! I apologize for the long wait, but my life is a bit hectic at this point, and although I usually write as means of relaxation, this chapter wasn't really that easy to put together – nor was it fun at all, haha!_

_Hmm, Sasuke is twenty-three, and Sakura's bag I found on nordstrom(dot)com. I'm not sure if you can find it anymore, I saved the picture quite a long time ago… but there's a ton of other nice stuff in there!_

_Thank you all for your support! Enjoy!_

_P.S. This starts somewhere around June – just in case you feel the need to do the Math._

* * *

_**Incomplete**  
By The Terrorist_

_**Chapter Thirty-Four**  
Time Apart_

* * *

It was not until she opened the door to her new home that Sakura realized how much thought Sasuke had actually put into this whole situation. He hadn't bought her an _apartment_ – he had bought her a _penthouse_. He had bought her the most expensive, little red car he could find, and he had made sure that she had all the luxury she had been accustomed to at home at her disposal.

Instead of this making her happy, like she knew it should have, the only reaction it elicited from her was tears. If she had thought it had been hard at the beginning, she didn't even want to imagine how hard it would become, because the moment the plane took off, every last trace of energy vanished from her body, and the pain increased tenfold.

What was she doing? How could she simply walk away? How could she leave behind the one person she loved so much in the world? How could she do this to him – to them? How would she handle this?

Abandoning her suitcase at the entrance, she closed and locked the door behind her.

The apartment was beautiful. There were hardwood floors and large, wide windows, a fully-equipped kitchen, a large library stocked to the brim, and a set of stairs that would make anybody swoon.

She, however, only managed to walk the distance to the living room, where floor-to-ceiling windows gave her a perfect view of the cloudy Manhattan below, thrumming with life. Stepping out of her heels, she lied down on the comfortable couch, curling up with a pillow in her arms, underneath her head.

Sakura had come to terms with the fact that she had fallen in love with her husband – and she no longer saw a reason to hide that. But she had always known that love was not everything in a relationship. Sometimes, it hardly mattered at all. And in situations like these, it only made things more painful to bear.

~•~

Sasuke woke up that morning to the sound of heavy rain hitting the window panes with force. The light that protruded inside the room through the stained glass was dim, nothing more than a dull, grey haze – and yet he felt disorientated as soon as he opened his eyes.

Blinking a couple of times in order to clear his vision, he regarded the largely unfamiliar décor with confusion. His brows furrowed, and he swallowed in an attempt to tame the itch in his dry throat. He discovered that his body was sore when he shifted. He was lying on his stomach, above the covers, and he was still dressed in his outdoor clothes – a pair of jeans and a white button-down shirt.

His frown deepening as the beginnings of a headache began to form at the edges of his consciousness, the Uchiha lifted his head off the pillow and slowly pushed himself into a sitting position. He did not miss the way his arms came out from _underneath_ it or the way he had to unclench his hands from its soft material. He had been clutching it in his sleep. And that particular detail was enough to trigger a flood of unwanted memories.

Swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, he took a moment to compose himself, with his elbows on his knees and his hands running through his messy hair, before he reached for the phone lying on the nightstand. Unlocking the screen, he formed the number engraved in his memory, almost in a daze.

His leg twitched, bouncing up and down as the call connected, and the phone began to ring – once twice, thrice.

The forth time, someone picked up.

_"Hello?"_ The voice on the other line was soft – and sounded just as tired as his own.

Briefly, he considered his response. He glanced at the window before him, then at the floor, and then he swallowed again. "You didn't call." His words were simple when he chose them – they were resigned. They seemed to anticipate what was coming long before either of them had the chance to realize it themselves.

_"I was settling in,"_ she explained quietly. The Uchiha opened his mouth to speak, but as though having seen him, she interrupted him. "_Look, Sasuke…"_ she started, the breath leaving her lips in a sigh. _"The reason why I came here… was to put some order in my thoughts. And I need to do that – on my own. Maybe you should do the same."_

His eyes burned unfamiliarly as the severity – and the true meaning – of her words hit him. He looked around the bedroom, silent. Though at first it had seemed cold and unfamiliar, he could see now: she had left everything behind. She had left a piece of her in every decoration, every object, every spec of dust, every molecule of air – her scent on the pillows, a scattered mascara tube on the nightstand, the closet door open for him to see the clothes on the hangers.

"Aa," he forced out, looking down at the floor.

She said something else, something more, but his heart thumped in his ears, so he missed out. He caught her soft voice whispering goodbye. He might have responded. He might have not. But the moment the call ended and his phone was back in front of his eyes, he was dialing another number before he even knew what he was doing.

The voice that greeted him this time was familiar, as well. But it was a soft, soothing voice – one that carried the promised of a solution, of an answer.

"Mom…" he whispered. It was all he could do not to choke on his own words.

_"Honey, what is it?"_ she asked, the worry in her voice seeping through the phone. _"Are you alright? Do you want me to –"_

"Mom," he interrupted her, "I… I want to come home."

Taking a deep breath, he squeezed his eyes shut; the words escaped his mouth before he could stop them, before he could think them through. For the first time in such a long time, Uchiha Sasuke spoke with his heart – not with his mind, not with his desperation. But with his heart.

"I need to talk to Dad."

~•~

Not even an entire week had passed after she moved in when she heard someone pound at her door in the early hours of the afternoon. Sakura, who was busing herself with the unpacking she had put off for so long, frowned as the sound resounded through the penthouse, all the way to the upper level.

Who could possibly be at her door when no one even knew of her existence in New York?

For a moment, she contemplated ignoring it. Although she knew it was far from healthy, over the past few days, she had rediscovered the joys of anonymity. She would not remain hidden inside her apartment forever, of course – after all, that was not what she had come to New York for – but she could use a little more time in silence, to contemplate everything that had happened in her life, to untangle the mess in her head, draw a few conclusions, and figure out where to begin.

When the knocking persisted, however, she dismissed the idea. Tucking a lock of rebel pink hair that had escaped her messy bun behind her ear, she slowly made her way out of her bedroom and down the stairs, through the living room and hallway until she reached the door. Turning the key into the lock, she swung it open.

Her eyes barely had time to widen before a blob of brown hair and creamy skin jumped upon her, clinging to her with arms wrapped tightly around her shoulders. The scent that enveloped her was so soothing, so calming, so familiar – so _TenTen_ that Sakura nearly burst into tears right then and there.

"Don't _ever_ do that to me again!" the brunette exclaimed as she pulled back, her eyes wide, scared and desperate as they tried to communicate the message to her.

Sakura clasped one of the hands that had latched onto her forearm and smiled sadly at her – apologetic and teary-eyed.

She had neglected to tell anybody else but her husband about her decision of leaving, not because she had wanted to keep it a secret, but because she hadn't had the strength to relay it to someone else. It had taken all of her to communicate it to Sasuke. How would she manage to explain it to a group of loud, expressive girls?

Besides, she hadn't had a chance to meet up with them that week. She had been too preoccupied with her thoughts, and, looking back, she realized that she was grateful to her friends that they had seemed to understand that – that they hadn't pressured her under the excuse that talking about her problems would make her feel better.

A while later, with the details in between blurry, the two women found themselves curled up on the couch, in the living room, a cup of hot tea in each of their hands.

"I'm sorry," Sakura whispered, staring down at the liquid cooling in her hands. "For not telling you. I was… all over the place. I needed some time."

"I understand," TenTen replied sympathetically. "I hate it, but I understand."

Heaving a sigh, the pinkette leaned with her arm over the back of the couch and ran a hand through her hair. "I need to… put some order in my thoughts. To start over, in a sense."

Her friend smiled knowingly. "But you don't have the strength to leave him."

Sakura returned the gesture with a small, somewhat sad, smile of her own. "No. I…" She shook her head, locking gazes with the brunette. "I love him, TenTen."

Her brown eyes softened at her confession. "I know, sweetie," she soothed.

There were so many things she wished she could tell her, so many advices he wanted to give her, so many solutions she wanted to make her aware of. But TenTen knew it was not her place to do so – especially not here, and not now. She could tell clearly that her friend did not want to talk about this matter anymore. The wound was still fresh, and it still hurt.

But she was on the right way to recovery, and the battles she would have to fight along the road were her own.

So instead of being a friend, she settled for being a woman, as she suggested cheekily, "Wanna go shopping?"

Those were the only words she said that day that managed to bring a true smile to Sakura's face.

~•~

Time passed, and the company profit skyrocketed. He worked harder than ever, determination burning inside of him, as though winning a fortune would bring her back. He knew it would not. But he wanted to make her proud of him. He wanted her to feel like she actually _had_ something to come back to now. He wanted her to be able to sense that he had changed from the moment she crossed the threshold to their house. He wanted her to see that he had taken her advice and solved his problems, as well, so that when she returned, he could focus on her.

He wanted to show her a lot of things – a lot of changes that, he believed, were noticeable. The only question was: would she? When she came back from New York, would she care about the progress that he felt he had made? After living freely for such a long period of time, after having no one there to hurt and pressure her constantly, would she even _want_ to come back? Would she _want_ to try again? She had promised, of course, and Sasuke knew better than to believe she would not keep to her word. But the doubts were there, lingering in the back of his mind, making him falter whenever he took a step forward and slap himself when he took two back. It was a slow process, and he was still uncertain of its outcome, but for her, he was willing to try and see it to its end.

That was the only reason why he entered the small coffee shop that rainy day. Pushing the door open, he was met with a friendly, cozy atmosphere, with floor-to-ceiling windows and comfortable and intimate sitting areas. He could clearly tell why his wife had loved the place so much, and that in itself gave him a small confidence boost. He knew what she liked, so the situation couldn't be as bleak as his pessimistic side was claiming.

Glancing around, he immediately found what he was looking for, and began to gracefully make his way towards a small table in the back, pushed up against a foggy window. Its sole occupant had caught sight of him from the moment he entered the room, and was currently in the process of glaring holes through him.

"This has better be good, you bastard," he seethed once the Uchiha had sat down across from him.

"Shut up, idiot," he shot back, his composure intact despite the harshness of his words. He took the time to signal a waiter and order a cup of coffee before he continued, much to his companion's displeasure. "I said I'd be here for a reason, did I not?"

"Well, who the hell knows, with freaks like you?" the blond-haired man scoffed, throwing his hands into the air dramatically.

Sasuke blinked, gazing at him with mock pity in his eyes. "Naruto, do you honestly think I would voluntarily meet up with an idiot like you if I didn't have a very good reason?"

Bright blue eyes narrowed dangerously as his mouth opened to speak, only to be cut off by Sasuke.

"You know Sakura left," he said, calmly looking at him over the table.

"Of course she left," Naruto scoffed, but was rudely ignored by the Uchiha, who continued to speak as though he had heard nothing.

"She promised me she would come back. I want to make things right this time."

For a moment, there was silence. Then, slowly, as realization dawned on him, a grin spread on Naruto's face; his entire demeanor changed as his body relaxed and he leaned back into his seat, folding his arms behind his head. "And you figured the fastest way to win her heart is by winning her best friend over?" he said, confidently.

Sasuke stirred his coffee calmly. "No, I am not in seventh grade."

Both his arms and his grin dropped as a glare formed in his eyes.

"I did it because I know it would mean a lot to her," he continued before the blond could make a scene. His dark eyes rose to meet a pair of shocked blue ones.

Naruto remained quiet for a long moment, stunned into silence.

Then he slowly grinned. "You know, I think I might even begin to like you now."

~•~

Life in New York proved to be easier than she had imagined after she passed the period of silent mourning for everything she had left behind at home.

She accommodated easily. She visited all the places of interest, and spotted every cozy café; she walked down the streets, breathing in the fresh summer air, absorbing the sights she encountered along the way. She made friends. And she allowed them to know her – not her husband, not her failed marriage, not her dysfunctional family, not her dead brother, but _her_. She allowed them to delve deep inside her and find the old Sakura – the _real_ Sakura. The Sakura that was kind and selfless. The Sakura that was not afraid to speak her mind. The Sakura that was, more often than not, too moody and temperamental for her own good. The creative, funny, free-spirited Sakura, the one who was always ready and willing to help. And through their eyes, she was able to know herself again.

She shopped. She drove. She walked aimlessly around the city. She spent hours chatting with her new friends in cozy cafés. She took a course in make-up. She began to slowly rediscover what she liked, what she enjoyed, what relaxed her and what awoke her competitive side.

She discovered that on a rainy afternoon, there was nothing more relaxing than curling up on the couch with a cup of hot chocolate and a good book. On Friday nights, she liked to dress up and go out with her friends. Sometimes, she spent the time walking in Central Park. Other times, she was constantly searching for new activities. She learned how to enjoy watching TV series again, even though there was no one there to laugh and choke on popcorn beside her. She started sketching again.

And she thought – a lot and about everything. Only this time around, she actually reached the much-desired conclusions. She realized that Sasuke wasn't truly the only one to blame. She had part of the fault, as well. Her parents had part of the fault. Everybody did, in one way or another. But Sakura wasn't looking for someone to blame. The circumstances were the way there were; mistakes were made by both parties. The most important thing at the moment was for them to find a way to solve them. She saw that – and this time, she actually _believed_ it.

There was no more leaving everything to root in the past, no more sweeping mistakes under the carpet because she was too desperate and anxious to get the pain over with. No. This time, they would make peace with the past and only then move on to the future. It was the only way they could be happy – the only way.

Somewhere on the road to recovery, she also came to terms with her brother's death, with the fact that, no matter how much she wanted to hold onto his memory, he was not coming back. He was gone for good – had been gone for a long time now. And Sakura realized that she had to let him go – she had to let him rest in peace, and go on with her life, because there must have been a reason for which God had left her alive.

She decided that she would live for the both of them – travel for the both of them, laugh for the both of them, smile for the both of them, cry for the both of them, and be happy for the both of them. And that night, in her dreams, she could have sworn she'd seen his smile.

There was only one aspect that she pended, and that was her love life. She had made her own mistakes, one of them being the fact that she had foolishly believed she knew how to love and had the great responsibility of teaching Sasuke, as well. That was a lie. She didn't know how to love. Nobody did until a certain point in their lives.

She had loved _herself_ and the idea of finally being happy with her husband. She had loved the idea of Sasuke working to make up for everything he had done to her. She had loved the idea of him being guilty, as though that gave her some sort of advantage, as though that made her _better_ than him.

And that was not love. She knew better now.

~•~

Sakura could not tell for sure where their phones began to ring more frequently. At first, he would call once a month to check on her, not wanting to intrude, perfectly aware of what she had told him – and what she had _implied_ through her words. He would sound reserved and pained, as though there were a million things he was holding back, a million things he would like to tell her, but was unable to.

She would always choose not to comment. They were both dealing with their own emotional baggage, and asking him to share his would only result in more pain for her. It would result in her carrying the burden for both of them once more, in him not dealing with his own fair share of the problem. And among many other aspects, Sakura was tired of always being the one to deal with the worst in their relationship.

In time, things began to change. Slowly, but surely, in a manner that had remained imperceptible for a long while, _they_ began to change. His calls began to come more often, and they began to have a purpose – he began to call her to tell her about something, not just to find out how she was doing, if she was adapting. More than simply checking up on her, he began to show an interest in the life she was slowly building there.

And with his unexpected optimism, she began to relax, as well. At first, she was skeptical and reticent and reluctant to answer his questions, to confide in him, for fear of giving something away, for fear of becoming attached to him – so attached that her life would begin to revolve around him once again. But as time passed, and the sheer curiosity and innocence behind his questions began to resound more and more clearly, she finally allowed him in again – she started to _answer_. She started to answer, and she started to ask her own questions. And they began to talk – unconsciously, they began to know each other.

The things they discussed were trivial, little things that would usually go unnoticed, things that other people would consider stupid and a waste of money to talk over on the phone. But for them, they meant the world – they meant a start.

That night, Sakura was exiting the bathroom, dressed in her newest black, silk negligee, when her cell-phone began to vibrate on the nightstand.

With a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eyes, she jumped on the large, king-sized bed, pink hair bouncing around her shoulders as she reached out for the machine.

"Hey," she greeted breathlessly as soon as she pressed the accept button, giddiness pooling in the pit of her stomach.

_"Hey." _Her heart fluttered at the sound of his deep voice on the other line. Nervousness cursed through her veins; this was something new, something exciting – something that did her good.

"How was your day?" she asked, fingers wrapping around a lock of pink hair.

_"Good," _he answered, and at length, asked, _"Yours?"_

She had to bite her lip to keep from squealing. Rolling over on her back, she grinned at the ceiling. "Also good," she replied.

Sakura had had trouble realizing, at first, why it was that her day felt incomplete until he called – until she heard his voice. But then, slowly, she came to understand what she was feeling. She was _looking forward_ to their discussions. She was looking forward to hearing the little aspects he shared with her, the little pieces of him she received over the phone. The two of them had never dated. And, perhaps – perhaps this was their way of doing so, their way to getting to know each other.

Something light, warm and fuzzy curled in the pit of her stomach every time she heard his voice. It was more than butterflies. It was more than happiness. It was like falling in love with him all over again – only that this time, the feeling was positive, and not making her feel resentful of her heart.

They talked for what seemed like hours. Time passed steadily, but neither of them even noticed. It was hard to keep track of reality when she was enjoying herself so much.

Their banter had now become comfortable, their discussions sweet and laid-back and easy-going. Sometimes, she found herself wondering whether it would be as easy to talk to him face to face as it was now, through the phone. She wondered what feelings seeing him again would evoke inside of her. Would it be painful? Would it be relieving? Would it be happy? She couldn't possibly know the answer to that question. But the one thing that she did know, was that she wasn't as scared to find out as she used to be only a few months before.

At one point, when the time changed again on the digital clock and she was lying in bed, pink hair contrasting with the darkness of the pillows, she felt a sudden question push its way past her lips.

"Why did you do it?"

She was unsure of why exactly she had felt the need to bring the topic on. It wasn't intentional. But weirdly enough, she didn't regret it, either. The time had come for them to begin to face pieces of their past.

At first, he was hesitant – unsure of whether he had heard right, unsure of whether she had meant what he believed she had. But then, slowly, he started to come to terms with the fact that she was expecting an answer.

_"I was angry,"_ he confessed. The insecurity in his voice was foreign, but not unwelcome. _"I… In the back of my mind, I'd always known you weren't capable of doing something like that to me. But I was angry. Karin… she had been feeding me bullshit about you for weeks… I never paid her attention, but when I picked up the phone that day and heard part of your conversation, her voice rang in my head, and I suddenly wanted – needed – to hear the rest. It obviously hadn't been the best choice."_

Her expression softening, she rolled over onto her stomach. "Yes, but… Sasuke, why didn't you pause for a moment and thought about it?"

_"I was angry,"_ he repeated. _"You know how I get. I… For the past weeks, I'd been trying to make our relationship work, to make it worth everything I'd put you through. Hearing you say those three words to someone else… It made something inside me snap. I couldn't think straight anymore. And Katya… she had been trying to get under my skin ever since she was hired. I had plans to fire her if she kept acting like an unprofessional slut. But that day…"_ He trailed off, and she could imagine him shaking his head, running a hand through his messy hair. _"In my mind, I wasn't doing anything wrong. I was only paying you back. When you entered my office… that's when I realized what I was doing and how incredibly fucked-up it was. And I'm sorry. So, so sorry."_

She was perfectly aware of how hard it must be for him to open up. That was the reason why she appreciated the effort more than words could describe.

And she knew what it meant: he was already changing.

~•~

It was a sunny morning in New York on the 10th of October when Sakura dialed her old friend's number, happiness in her eyes and a smile on her lips.

The voice that greeted her, however loud and raucous, had been like a balm to her injuries for all these months. Now, she felt as though there were few injuries left to heal.

_"Sakura!"_ he yelled, making her shake her head.

Some things would never change, she figured fondly.

"Hey, birthday boy," she greeted softly. "Happy birthday!"

_"Thank you, Saki!"_ he answered enthusiastically. The sound of horns blaring and engines running, distinctive for a crowded street, could be heard clearly in the background. Then they suddenly stopped. _"Hey, Sakura, where're you at?"_

"I'm at home, Naruto," she said. "Now, I know you probably expected me to be at your door this morning with a huge present – with fluorescent orange wrapping, if possible – but I'm afraid that –"

_"Nah, I didn't expect that,"_ he interrupted her, and she could almost picture him waving his hand in a dismissive gesture. _"Orange never suited you, to be honest."_

Her eyes narrowed and her lips twitched in another smile as she caught the hint of tease in his voice. "Is that so?"

_"Well, yeah,"_ he scoffed. _"I mean, not everybody can be as awesome as I am!"_

Sakura laughed. "That you are, Naruto, that you are."

_"Anyway, there is a present you could make me,"_ he declared after a moment of silence, causing the pinkette to raise her brows in surprise.

"A kiss through the phone?" she suggested cheekily.

_"Haha, no,"_ he said. She could almost see him rolling his eyes_. "But – you could open the door."_

For a moment, she had trouble understanding what she had heard. "Open the – what?" she asked, frowning, and yet smiling at the same time.

_"The door, Sakura, the door,"_ he said with a hint of faked exasperation in his voice. _"So that you can, you know, kiss me for real."_

"You're –"

It took no more than that for realization to dawn on her. Throwing the phone carelessly on the couch, she ran to the door and practically tackled it in an effort to unlock it faster. She finally swung it open, and there he was, signature grin plastered on his face, hands behind his back, and his beautiful, new fiancée by his side.

A squeal escaped her lips before she could stop herself, and she heard Hinata's soft laughter ring in the hallway as she jumped into his awaiting arms.

"You're here!" she exclaimed, pulling back to look at him excitedly. "You're really here! What's the meaning of this?" she asked, shocked, but visibly happy. "Hinata, hey," she greeted, leaning over for a kiss on the cheek and a short hug.

The woman was smiling widely when they separated. "The girls will be here in another few hours. I just couldn't control this monster!" she exclaimed, playfully hitting Naruto's shoulder.

The blond immediately pouted, rubbing the affected spot. "Hinata, I didn't deserve that! You know how much I missed my Saki!" With that, he grabbed her waist and swept her in his arms again, lifting her clear off the floor. Sakura's cheeks hurt from smiling as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Oh my God, there is no way I could have expected this," she confessed with a short laugh as the blond set her on the ground once again.

Hinata grinned. "We know," she said.

"Yeah! Like, duh, that was the point!" Naruto scoffed from beside her.

Sakura stuck her tongue out at him in response, and was about to invite them in when his blue eyes gained a mischievous glint and he reached down to his right to something lying on the floor. "I brought you something!" he declared, sounding undeniably proud of himself, as he had to take a step back in order to fit the huge, glaringly orange, plush fox in between him and the pinkette.

Sakura's eyes widened, her mouth dropping open in surprise. "Oh my God," she laughed, tucking hair behind her ear as she gaped in astonishment at the sheer size of the toy. "You're giving me presents on your birthday?" she said, stepping aside to let them both in as she took the offering from Naruto. She could barely wrap her arms around its middle, so she chose to hold it by its neck as she followed them into the living room.

"Well, yeah!" he exclaimed, turning to face her and instantly flopping down on the couch, legs stretched and arms folded behind his head in his signature lazy pose. "I figured the apartment had to be stupid and boring, 'cause I heard the bastard bought it for you, so I thought it's like, my duty as your best friend to help you! You have _no idea_ how long it took me to convince him to give me your address! I mean, seriously, he's a total paranoid bastard. You'd think he was sure I'd do something stupid!"

"The bastard?" she whispered, all traces of smile gone as she stared in Naruto in astonishment, her heart not quite allowing itself to believe what it had been told for fear of getting hurt.

"Yeah, the bastard!" Naruto confirmed, nodding. "Your stupid husband!"

Her eyes filled with tears she couldn't hold back as realization dawned on her, the reality she could no longer avoid starting to contour around her.

Naruto ploughed on, not noticing. "He said I was stupid and that was why he didn't want me bothering you, but – Hey, why're you crying?" he demanded, completely lost as he sprung to his feet and came to stand in front of her, placing a hand on her shoulder in comfort as he looked down at her, clutching the toy he had given her tightly in her arms.

Hinata stood aside, a gentle, knowing smile on her face.

Sakura suddenly laughed through her tears, and his heart stopped beating.

It was the laugh that he remembered – the one from so many years ago.

~•~

Had someone told him a few months before that he would be sitting here now, in his office, with his brother across from him, as though absolutely nothing had ever happened between them, Sasuke would have snapped and called them a liar. He had honestly believed that there was nothing left to mend in their relationship, that everything had been completely destroyed the day Itachi entered that hospital room and silently promised that he would shield his wife away from him. He had believed that it was all over. He had believed that he had lost his brother.

In all honesty, that had not hurt as much as it would have had under normal circumstances. Because the magnitude of losing his wife, of watching Sakura go, had overwhelmed him and every aspect of his life.

Eventually, he made up with his father, and became close again with his mother. Eventually, he came to know and understand a couple of aspects that, he believed, made the gap between them even larger. He spent many restless nights mulling over the acquired information, many restless nights wishing he could turn back the time and behave differently. He wished he could take back all the words he had said and all the things he had done, wished he could erase from their history all the times he had been unfair – all the years he had spent thinking that his big brother had betrayed him.

But for all that he wanted to change, Sasuke never acted. He never acted, because what was he even supposed to say, when it all came down to it? That he was wrong? That he hadn't known to see through the pretenses? Was that even what his brother would have wanted? For him to notice, to see, to realize that he had lied? It took him a while, but he came to a conclusion – no. What his brother had wanted was for him to be happy – nothing more, nothing less.

But that was not the main reason why Sasuke found it hard to make a move, why he considered the idea of approaching his elder brother nearly impossible, even though his heart screamed at him that he needed him. The reason was that, in a way, he still felt somewhat betrayed by his last actions. He had been so lost at the time, so completely out of his element; the only person who he could have clung to was Sakura, and he felt irrationally bothered by the fact that Itachi had seemed so intent on taking her away. More than simply that, he also spent quite a long period of time unsure of which part Itachi actually now took – his or Sakura's.

Too late did he realize that nothing had ever been about that – that the part he had always taken had been _theirs_. And even then, that happened when _Itachi_ came to him.

The bond between them slowly, but surely, repaired, became even stronger, and Sasuke knew now – he would give anything to preserve this relationship.

He had never quite realized just how much he missed the quiet times spent in his office, working together, that used to exist before he got married. And he wondered, really, what it was that stopped him – that stopped them – from doing so afterwards. He had always claimed not to care about his marriage, not to have any restrictions. He slept with women, attended events and went on trips – nothing he ever did involved his wife. But he had merely been fooling himself with a false sense of freedom. Because when he married, he gave up every single aspect of his life that mattered. His talks with his brother, his father's watchful gaze, his mother's advices… everything that had ever meant something to him – everything that made him human.

Now, he knew what truly mattered. Now, he knew what to guide himself after. He knew what moments to value – and it was moments like these.

The topic of their conversation had never been Sakura. Sasuke hadn't discussed their relationship with Itachi as much as he had discussed it with his mother, not because their time back together was limited in comparison, but because by the time Itachi made a step towards reconciliation, there had been nothing more to say. Sasuke had already understood that the only thing left for him to do was to focus on himself – on solving his own issues – and waiting.

It was hard to keep his mind off subjects that involved her when Itachi saw right through him, though.

"I…" he began to confess, but his mouth was suddenly dry and his throat was closing up. It was all he could do to close his eyes in order to keep himself from spilling all the things he felt and thought – but he managed, because inside his head, there was nothing more but a mess, a big jumble of words, images, and sounds, that he couldn't tell where began and where ended.

His brother, however, summed it up for him when he completed his sentence, "Miss her."

Swallowing, Sasuke could only nod. "I want her to come back, but…"

"But?" Itachi prompted, raising his brows. His little brother's gaze was lost and confused when it met his. "Bring her back," he offered him a simple solution. "You love her, right? You think you have changed. Take a chance. For her."

The young Uchiha slowly leaned back in his seat as he considered his words. Was that what their relationship needed? A shove from his part? Was it even stalled at this point? Had she finished her vacation? Did she feel alright now? What if she needed more time? What if she came to consider him impatient and inconsiderate and all the progress they had made became null?

Questions flooded his mind, dissolving the little confidence and hope that had started to flourish inside of him. But then, slowly, his mind began to push forward a precious memory. A memory of her, standing before him, her small, soft hands cupping his face, beautiful green eyes sparkling and gazing deep into his own, coal-black, confused ones. Lips stretched into a smile, she gave him life lessons.

_"…Why am I willing to take a chance? Because, can't you see? This is what our lives are made of – taking chances. When you do something – whatever that something is – you must be aware of the fact that you might be sailing towards failure – there's always that possibility. But that's what makes it more interesting, more palpitating. Knowing that one wrong step could ruin everything… it's stressful, but necessary. How else would you push yourself not to make mistakes? How else would you learn how not to make the same mistake twice? How else would you get to cherish every passing moment, to live every day like it's your last? We fail, we move on: that's what this whole thing is about. What matters is that we're alive; and that while we're still alive, we can always try again." _

Was it his turn to take a leap and make the next step in their relationship? he wondered. And perhaps more importantly… Just how much was it about this woman that he had yet to know? How much did he have to learn from her? And Sasuke realized in that moment, just how badly he wanted to find out.

~•~

Sakura was slowly making her way back to her apartment after a long walk that evening when she noticed him.

At first, she wasn't entirely able to comprehend what she was seeing. It was dark outside, there were thick, fat snowflakes falling from the sky, and her heart would simply not allow itself to start beating faster; it stopped excitement from rushing through her veins, because the downfall that would surely follow, she knew from experience, was simply too painful.

There was a large SUV parked in front of the entrance to her apartment building. It was a dark color, and when she walked closer, she saw an elegant, metallic green tint to its hood, where what little light spilled through the front door was reflected. But her eyes spent no more than two seconds on that detail, because there was a man leaning against the front. He was dressed in equally dark colors, and his hair obscured her vision of his face, but his posture was so familiar – with his hands buried in the pockets of his coat and his posture hunched only slightly, enough to show that he was brooding.

Her steps slowing, she came to a stop a few meters away. The man raised his hand to angrily shake off the snow that had settled in his hair, glaring up at the door with a pout on his lips and a sullen expression on his darkened features. Could it be that…?

Her heart started racing, and her feet acted on their own accord as they moved.

"Sasuke…?" she whispered – softly, hesitantly – as she stopped abruptly a mere three steps away from him.

The man's head snapped up at the sound of her voice, and the breath left her as realization sunk in. She was standing on front of her husband for the first time in six months.

Two things happened at once then: her eyes filled with tears, and a smile broke on her face. "What are you doing here?" she asked, breathless.

Despite his open mouth, there was no time for him to answer, because, in an instant, she was in his arms – clinging to his shoulders, rising on her tiptoes to bury her face into the crook of his neck.

Sasuke was startled, at a complete loss of what to do. But his surprise lasted for a mere second, before his arms came to wrap around her thin waist, lifting her off the ground in his desperation. Burying his face into her pink hair, he inhaled the sweet, familiar scent of her perfume, squeezing his eyes shut and holding her even tighter against him – hoping to impede thoughts of this being just another torturous dream from flooding into his mind. This _couldn't_ be a dream. She felt too real to be a dream.

Neither of them knew for sure how long they stood there, snowflakes falling gently around them, the occasional car passing by on the street, but they didn't care, either. They were completely wrapped up in each other, dissolved in thoughts of him, of her – of them.

Eventually, Sakura pulled away, but only slightly, so that she could see his face. His arms remained locked around her, his grip loosening only slightly.

"Did something happen?" she asked, twinkling eyes searching his – so green and so full of emotion, that they nearly took his breath away.

It had been so long since he had last seen her eyes – and the faded color of his dreams failed to do them justice.

"Yes," he snapped, before he could stop himself. He had waited for two more months after the talk he had with his brother, hoping that, in the meantime, she would make up her mind – that she would come back on her own. Their relationship was so incredibly fragile at this point that Sasuke, no matter how impulsive, was genuinely afraid to take another wrong step. But she hadn't come back, hadn't even shown signs of intending to do so, and in the end, he decided that, for everything she had done in their relationship, he could also gather his bearings, assume his own part of the fault, and take a chance – for her, for them.

It was easier said than done, though. The plane ride had rendered him to a nervous wreck, and the spoiled child inside of him seemed to be now resurfacing.

"You _abandoned_ me, that's what happened!"

Sakura's eyes widened at his declaration. "Sasuke –"

"I'm sorry, alright? But I just can't stay away from you anymore. Ever since you left, my life has turned into this pathetic mess and I'm sick and tired of it! You're on my mind every second of every day. I _dream_ of you. I hug your pillow in my sleep. Fuck, I didn't even let Yuki change the damn sheets because they smell like you! And really, what kind of pathetic loser does that?"

She was looking up at him with wide, innocent eyes, and his own gaze softened as he took a step even closer and cupped her face within his hands.

"Sakura, I love you," he confessed gently. "I've changed, alright? You wanted to give me a lesson? Well, you did, and I swear I learned it. Just please…" he begged, closing his eyes briefly, "Please say you'll come back home with me."

By the time he reopened them, tears were sliding down her face. For a moment, he was scared that he had done something wrong. But then she smiled and latched to his neck again.

"Yes," she whispered, sniffling. "Yes, I'll go back home with you. I missed you, too… so much!"

His eyes closed once more, this time in contentment, and his entire body relaxed as he brought her closer, burying his face into her cold, pink locks.

In that moment, their hearts beat in unison.

And for the first time in such a long time, they felt whole again.

* * *

_A/N: I'm done, yayyy! Hopefully, the road from here on will be much smoother, and I will be able to update much faster. _

_Now, review, please!_


	35. A New Beginning

_A/N: I did promise a quicker update, right? It probably wasn't as quick as you would have liked, but I did my best, haha! _

_Thank you to everybody who reviewed! I love you all!_

_Happy (late) Easter! Enjoy!_

* * *

_**Incomplete**  
By The Terrorist_

_**Chapter Thirty-Five**  
A New Beginning_

* * *

She had not changed.

That was the conclusion Sasuke reached – admittedly, after not much deliberation – as he took a seat on the couch, in the living room of the penthouse he had bought her what seemed like a lifetime ago. Heaving a sigh, he rested his elbows on his knees and intertwined his hands below his chin, his ears taking in the relaxing sounds of her moving about in the kitchen.

Now that what he had secretly been referring to as 'The Worst Part' had been done away with, he had to admit that he had difficulties in assimilating the turn his life had taken in a matter of mere minutes. He had _wanted_ this. He had wanted it for so long. So, perhaps it was that that was at fault.

Or perhaps it was the accompanying insecurity – the question of 'what now'? He had gotten her back. How did he _keep_ her?

Before he could travel down that train of thought, she appeared, carrying two steaming mugs of tea, one of which he handed to him with a smile. Sitting down on the couch, beside him, she curled up with her legs underneath her, tucking a lock of hair back in its place behind her ear as she brought her own mug to her lips.

Physically, she was the same old Sakura he had fallen in love with. She still wore the tallest heels, still dressed in an impeccable manner, still applied flawless make-up. Her pink hair, although slightly longer, was the same pastel shade he had missed so much.

The same went for the inside. The essence of her being hadn't changed, yet the results of the time they had spent apart were more visible than anything had ever been. She was calmer, happier, at ease with everything and everyone around her. Her green eyes sparkled like he had never seen them sparkle before, with so much emotion and so much life in them that it nearly threw him off balance for the first couple of times that he met them. She radiated happiness and contentment, and the pure energy in her every step was astonishing.

"You know, I never got to thank you for the apartment," she said, breaking the silence. Sasuke turned his gaze from the hot liquid swirling in his cup to her brilliant green eyes. "It's beautiful."

He nodded. His throat felt dry even though he had just swallowed, and it seemed to close up at the mere prospect of him attempting to have a normal conversation with her, but his mind told him otherwise, and the words escaped his mouth before he could even start to worry about himself and his sanity. "I knew you'd like it."

"How?" she asked, watching him with an expression of sweet curiosity on her features.

Sasuke shrugged, taking the mug to his lips. "The windows," he said, as though it should have been obvious.

She smiled widely. "You noticed." His answer came in the form of another shrug, but she hardly seemed bothered by that. "At night, when you turn the lights off… it's staggering. I can see _everything_ from here," she said, still in awe. Then she smiled cheekily. "And the car is gorgeous, as well," she added. "Oh, and by the way –"

Standing up, she was about to walk away, but he stopped her before she could take another step.

"Sakura," he called, his voice rough, and she turned around with a questioning look in her eyes. Standing up, he placed his cup of tea on the coffee table, and made his way towards her, stopping only a few inches away. "Pack up."

The pinkette blinked at the command.

"Pack up, Sakura, and let's go home. Come on," he pleaded, taking a step closer and cupping her face within his hands.

Sakura laughed lightly as his words sunk in and she did the same. "Calm down," she said, smiling her most beautiful smile. "You can't expect me to leave on such short notice. Let's spend the night here. And then, in the morning… we'll see."

"Sakura –" he tried to speak, but she interrupted him.

"Shh," she hushed, placing a finger over his lips. "You're here now, aren't you? We're together. We're fine."

For a moment, he was silent. Then he confessed, sullenly, "I don't have anything with me, Sakura," he grumbled. "I just want us to go home."

She laughed. "You're so damn impulsive." She said it so fondly that his heart skipped a beat. "Let's spend the night. Tomorrow we'll pack. And we'll go home."

There was something about the spark in her eyes that forced him to act. Bending down in a brusque movement, he stopped halfway, unsure of how his action would be received.

Sakura's smile fell as she swallowed heavily, her green eyes displaying nervousness as they darted from his lips to his eyes. Their suddenly labored breathes mingled together, and the atmosphere became charged, practically sizzling with electricity.

Then she leaned in and pressed her lips to his – and everything in the world disappeared.

Their lips moved together slowly, softly, as though they only now met, as though they rediscovered each other. He pulled her closer once the kiss deepened, his hands curling above her lower back, holding her tightly against him while she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, standing on her tip-toes to reach as high as she could.

For the long moments the kiss lasted, she was the only person in the world. And for the first time, Sasuke was not startled or disconcerted as he realized just how much he liked that feeling.

~•~

The next morning, the Uchiha woke up to somebody poking him in the side.

Groaning, he buried his face further into the pillow, refusing to give in to the clutches of consciousness. He could still feel the effects of the jet lag coupled with the emotional struggle in his system, and he blatantly refused to open his eyes before his biological clock told him it was time to do so – especially now, when he had his wife back in his arms. Unconsciously, his arm reached out to the other side of the bed as that thought crossed his mind, searching for the small, warm body that had assured his rest throughout the night, only to come against cold satin sheets.

He groaned once more as realization dawned upon him, and heard somebody giggle from above him.

"Come on," her soft voice coaxed, and her hand ruffled his already messy hair. "Wake up."

"What time is it?" he grumbled in his pillow.

"Six," she answered simply – in his opinion, too perky and excited for someone who had most likely woken up even _earlier_ than stated.

"Six what?" he demanded.

"Six am, silly," she answered, rolling her eyes. "Come on," she insisted, poking him again. "Wakey-wakey."

"Sakura," he groaned as he rolled over on his back, bringing a hand up to cover his eyes, which were still sensitive to the light. Once they had adjusted and his vision had cleared, he saw her, standing over him. "What the hell are you doing up at this hour?" Although the Uchiha had become used to waking up early in order to go to work, he still enjoyed sleeping in on his free days, and could hardly understand how someone could not do the same.

The pinkette didn't need to answer that question, though, because the moment he lifted his arm from his eyes, he was able to make connections by himself. She was packing. The door to her walk-in closet was open, two large suitcases were spread out on her side of the bed, clothes were strewn over every surface, and boxes of shoes littered the hardwood floor.

His brows furrowing, he lifted a piece of clothing from where it lay on the blanket, above him, holding it up in an effort to understand what exactly it was. The material was black, soft to the touch, but had too many confusing cuts and straps. Sakura snatched it from him in the next moment, holding it up in a manner that made more sense.

"You know what's weird about packing?" she asked, frowning herself.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"That you find clothes you don't even remember having."

He snorted. "Maybe _you_ do," he grumbled, closing his eyes again.

She made a small sound of agreement in the back of her throat, and he heard her little footsteps retreating from beside him, so he opened his eyes to follow her movements to the other side of the bed, where she dropped the dress, along with two other, neatly folded items of clothing in one of the suitcases.

She was dressed simply, all in black, in a long-sleeved blouse and a pair of tight pants. Her pink hair was straight, falling over her back and shoulders, and she was wearing little make-up.

Grabbing a box from the floor, she took a seat on the couch across from him and pulled out a pair of grey, leopard-printed booties.

"I am going to go out for a bit," she announced as she began to lace them up. "You can sleep some more if you want." She shrugged. "But I was hoping we could have breakfast together."

Sasuke frowned at her as she stood up and made her way over to the vanity to put on a pair of earrings. "Where are you going?" he asked.

"To meet up with some friends. People need to know I'm leaving," she explained.

He raised an eyebrow. "At this hour?"

Sakura rolled her eyes, smiling as she turned around. "Normal people wake up early."

"In your world," he deadpanned.

Laughing, she skipped over to him and climbed onto bed, hovering above him as she pressed a small, chaste kiss to his lips. "Meet me at nine in Central Park?" she suggested.

"Nine?" he repeated, blinking.

She smiled sweetly, rolling over to reach the edge of the bed. Sasuke thought, amused, that she looked strangely like a spoiled kitten as she looked at him upside down. "I have a lot of friends," she said, winking.

The Uchiha simply groaned and flopped back down on his pillow, closing his eyes. The muted sound of her heels against the carpet soon made him aware of her presence beside him.

Her pink hair tickling his cheek, she kissed the corner of her lips before leaving, whispering a silent, "I'll see you soon."

It was the sweetest thing he had heard in months.

~•~

It was incredible how easy it was to interact with him, Sakura mused as she made her way down the stairs in Central Park, heading for the place where she had established to meet with her husband. She had thought it would be awkward, and true, there had been a certain tension between them at the beginning, but it was a tension that had been broken the moment they kissed. It was like every barrier was broken down then, like everything – all the time they had spent apart and all the things that had happened in the meantime – suddenly made sense, gained a purpose.

_This_ was why they had done all this, _this_ was why they had made this sacrifice – to feel that connection, that emotion. Because now, when they kissed, they no longer felt like they were doing something wrong, like there was something missing; now, there was nothing to ignore, only to acknowledge. Because in a simple kiss, there was genuine love, affection, the need to protect, to be happy together.

And it was the most beautiful mixture she had ever experienced.

Slowing her pace to enjoy the cold, early-morning air and the frosty smell of winter, she scanned the surroundings for her husband. A grin pulled at the corners of her lips as her eyes fell on his majestic stature, hands in his pockets, raven hair messy, unimpressed gaze in place and broody mode on.

"Hey," she greeted as she came to a stop in front of him, not wasting a moment before she latched herself to his taller figure, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her lips to his. "Am I late?" she asked innocently.

He threw her a bland look. She might have been a bit late, but she had always thought he took some aspects of life, such as punctuality, too seriously – and now that she finally had a chance to point that out, to _change_ that, without being afraid to ruin an equilibrium that wasn't even there, in the first place, she wasn't going to let it go to waste.

"Come on, let's have breakfast. Then we can go home," she said, grabbing his hand as she began to move on through the small snowflakes that fell in a gentle dance from the sky. "I know a place that sells like, the best hot chocolate ever! But, what am I saying? You don't drink hot chocolate." She laughed, looking back at him and smiling adoringly. "You must be the most boring husband a woman could possibly have."

It was easy to be herself around him, and the strange part of it all was that she didn't feel as though she was exposing a new part of herself to him, as though he was only now getting to know her. No, it felt… natural. It felt as though that was the way it had always been between the two of them, the way it should have always been.

The way it was meant to be.

~•~

They arrived home later that evening, when the sky was turning dark and the clouds began to gather, snowflakes starting their slow descend towards the ground.

A deep sigh escaped her lips as they entered the large foyer. Sasuke stopped to place her bags on the floor and to close the door behind him, but she continued on her way, disappearing from his sight a mere couple of seconds later. He hesitated before he followed her. What if he had rushed her? What if she now realized that, in fact, she wasn't ready to be here, wasn't ready to face the ghosts of their past?

He found her in the living room, gazing out on the large window at the snow-covered garden.

"There are so many memories…" she whispered before he could even think of something to say, "…Good and bad. They're all here."

"Aa," he forced out, burying his hands into his pockets as he looked down at his feet.

"I missed this house," she said, and her voice sounded closer. Raising his head, he saw that she had moved away from the window and approached him, the carpet muffling the sounds of her high-heels. Before he could even understand what she was doing, she had wrapped her arms around his neck. "I missed you."

His eyes softening, he brushed a lock of pink hair away from her face. "I missed you, too."

In that moment, he wanted nothing more than to take her upstairs and make love to her. But he was not as stupid as he had once been, so he knew that was impossible. As familiar as she might seem, he knew he had a lot more to learn about the woman that stood in front of him now. And since his pessimistic predictions hadn't come true, since she had kept her promise and come back to him, he blatantly refused to take another wrong turn. He had received another chance and he would not let it go to waste, as he had done with so many others.

"My mother…" he started after a while, clearing his throat, "She's having one of those Christmas dinners. Do you want to come with me? Or we can stay here… or I can take you out for dinner…" His eyes met hers. "We can do whatever you want, Sakura."

The pinkette smiled. "I'd like to go," she said. "But I'll need to take a bath first."

It was all he could do to bring her close and press his lips to hers.

~•~

It was almost an hour later that she called out his name. Sasuke was in his own bedroom, buttoning up his shirt when he heard her voice, and started down the hallway with a light frown etched on his features. He stopped in the doorway of her room when he arrived there, leaning against the wooden structure. Sakura made an appearance a mere moment later, in a tight, black dress that nearly took his breath away. Cheeks flushed, pink hair still damp from her bath, she looked up at him with brilliant green eyes as she tugged on the hem of her dress.

"Is this okay?" she asked.

There was only one response he could must at that point and in that situation, and that was, "Hn."

"I need to do my hair and my make-up," she announced, skipping to the mirror.

Sasuke took a moment to observe the no longer empty room. One of her suitcases was open in the middle of the bed, clothes hanging out haphazardly. The dresser was one again littered with make-up products, and her closet door was open, boxes of shoes abandoned on the floor. He had never realized how much he had missed the place as it was now – _lived in._

With a mild furrow between her brows, Sakura turned to face him once again. "What comes to your mind when you think of Christmas?" she asked.

He blinked. "The tree," he replied bluntly.

The pinkette cocked her head to the side, throwing him a bland look.

He raised an eyebrow. "Snow?" he tried again.

She sighed, exasperated, and figured it out herself. "Red lipstick," she muttered to herself, before turning back around to face the mirror.

Sasuke heaved a sigh himself as she finished buttoning up the rest of his shirt and walked further into the room, slumping down on a surprisingly free of clutter armchair. Leaning his had backwards, he closed his eyes. There was no denying the fact that he enjoyed spending time with his parents, but the preparations that led up to any type of social event tired him out completely.

"How much time do we have?" he heard her ask, and let out another sigh. He knew what she was actually asking him.

"We'll leave when you're ready," he answered, not even bothering to open his eyes. He only did so when his nose caught a whiff of soft, feminine perfume, and he sensed her presence nearby. Then, he met a pair of bright green orbs and a dazzling smile looking down at him.

"You're too sweet," she cooed and pecked his lips softly.

Sasuke leaned in as she tried to pull away, following her lips until she broke apart with a laugh and promptly left his side. Heaving yet another sigh, he slouched back down in his seat.

Sakura took a look at him. "God, you're pouting again!" she exclaimed, laughing as she turned her attention back to her make-up.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. How had he managed to live without this annoying woman for so long?

~•~

The smell of home-cooked meals and freshly baked cookies, cinnamon and chocolate – the distinctive smell of Christmas – hit her as soon as they entered the house. How long had it been since she sensed that aroma? Sasuke placed a hand over her lower back as he led her further into the foyer, the sound of her heels clicking on the hardwood floors accompanying their arrival.

"Sasuke, honey, is that you?" Mikoto's familiar voice rang down the hallway, and Sakura smiled at the nickname she had chosen for her youngest son.

"Yes, Mom," her husband answered. It dawned on her then that she had never heard him speak to his mother before – that she had never seen them interact.

"Did you stumble across your brother?" she asked.

Sakura threw him a questioning look, to which he simply shook his head, motioning for her to undress.

"Not exactly," he answered his mother.

She frowned up at him. "Why are you doing this?" she demanded in a quiet tone, but he hushed her, taking her coat. There was no time for more questions and vague answers, however, because the next moment, heels sounded down the hallway, and the Uchiha matriarch appeared in the foyer, looking as perfectly put-together as she remembered in a red sweater dress and knee-high, black boots.

There was a smile on her face when she made eye-contact with her son, but when her gaze fell on the woman he had brought along, she froze. "Sakura," she gasped, and the pinkette barely had time to smile before she was engulfed in a sudden, warm hug. "You're back. You really are," she said, still in awe, as she pulled back to look her over, holding tightly onto her hands.

Sakura smiled widely, green eyes filled with tears. "Yes," she answered, nodding. "I really am."

"Sasuke, go away," his mother commanded, out of the blue, without even sparing him a look.

The man blinked. "What?" he sputtered.

"Go find your father," she said. "Leave us alone."

Sakura laughed at his expression. He was about to protest, she could see that clearly, but one fleeting glare from his mother made him rethink his decision. Stuffing his hands into his pockets, he grumbled something unintelligible under his breath, turned onto his heels, and left the room.

Turning her gaze away from his retreating back, she was met with a soft smile. "Come," Mikoto encouraged, pulling her into the living room and encouraging her to take a seat on the couch with her. "How are you, honey?"

Sakura smiled. "I'm fine," she said.

"You came back," she breathed disbelievingly, touching her cheek. "How…?"

"Sasuke…" She laughed, shaking her head. "It's a long story."

"But, you're back, right? For good," she said, wanting to make sure.

Sakura nodded. "For good," she assured. "No matter what… I am staying by his side."

"Thank God," she murmured, smiling widely at her, with so much happiness shining in her black orbs that the pinkette found it hard to believe she, with her simple actions, had been the one to cause it.

Reaching out, she brushed her hair away from her face, looking at her with such an affectionate expression, the gesture itself so motherly – something that her own mother had never done – that it was enough to bring tears to her eyes.

Mikoto's expression softened as she seemed to realize in an instant exactly what had happened to her daughter-in-law.

"Honey," she coed, wrapping her arms around her shoulders, "Come here." She cradled her to her chest, her hand smoothing over her hair in a gentle, soothing gesture. "I know it's been a hard couple of years… I know you haven't really gotten the support you needed… But we are here now. I am here now. And I want you to know that you can always turn to us now. _We_ are your _family_. Okay?" Pulling back, she smiled softly at her, brushing a lock of rebel pink hair behind her ear.

Sakura could only nod, smiling through her tears.

"Come on, wipe those tears away," Mikoto said. "They have nothing to do on that beautiful face – especially with that gorgeous make-up on. I have to check on the food, I'll be right back." She stood, but hesitated before leaving the room, throwing her a knowing look, "If you cry while I'm gone, I'll know," she warned, making the pinkette laugh.

In the meantime, the front door opened, and another set of heels clicked on the floors. A minute later, Itachi walked in with his long-time girlfriend, Keiko.

Sakura thought she could have cried at the sight of him – and she did. There was nothing that had warned her beforehand of the fact that she thought of him as a protective big brother – as the brother she had lost so much time ago. His eyes widened at the sight of her, but an understanding smile pulled at his lips.

She was off the couch and hugging him around the neck before her brain could even register the action, before it could think it through. Itachi hugged her back, one hand over the small of her back, the other smoothing over her pink locks – the gesture reminding her of her own brother so much that she nearly broke down right then and there. Better said, she _would_ have broken down, in the past. But now, she felt more grateful towards the fact that she could feel it again rather than pained that her real brother was not the one doing it for her.

"Oh, you're all here," Mikoto's voice came from behind them. "Right on time, too. Dinner's ready."

Sakura sniffled as she let go, turning to face her briefly.

The woman placed her hands on her hips. "What did I say about crying?" she demanded, making her laugh as she stretched to hug Keiko in greeting.

"I can't help it!" she exclaimed, huffing an amused breath as she carefully dabbed at her tears with her fingertips, mindful of her make-up.

Sasuke chose that particular moment to make his appearance, his father following close behind him. "What's going on?" he demanded at the sight of her tears, frowning in confusion. What could she possible be crying about now?

The pinkette opened her mouth to speak, but her brother-in-law beat her to it. "Nothing," he said, placing a hand over her shoulder. "I told you, she likes me more."

Her husband looked as though the only reason he was holding back a couple of colorful words was the presence of his parents.

"What?" Itachi pressed, innocently. "She didn't cry when she saw you, now did she?"

Sasuke's glare intensified. Sakura's eyes darted between the two brothers, almost incredulous, yet delirious with happiness.

Mikoto rolled her eyes. "Boys," she said warningly.

Her husband backed her up, speaking for the first time since he entered the room. "Stop goofing around," he commanded.

His voice was deep, strong, powerful, demanding respect. But it wasn't as ice-cold as Sakura had imagined for so many years. No, beneath the seriousness he displayed was a warm, amused tone – one that told her he was as pleased with this type of exchange as his wife's eyes showed her to be.

When his dark gaze slid to her, Sakura froze. Her breath caught in her throat, and her heart stopped beating.

She had never realized just how much she desired this man's approval until now.

"Sakura," he acknowledged. "Welcome back."

Her smile could have lit up the entire town.

~•~

For the rest of the evening, Sakura gained a true understanding of what it felt like to have a family.

She had never had the opportunity to see all the Uchihas reunited – and in such a relaxed atmosphere – before, but she was grateful that she did now. Beneath façades, away from problems, misunderstandings and unbreakable stubbornness, they were a wonderful family. Their interaction was amazing to watch, and it left her with a warm, pleasant feeling coursing through her veins and settling in her stomach like a fluffy cloud.

She had always believed Uchiha Fugaku to be a cold man – colder than her husband. She had been wrong. They were similar – so similar it was almost incredible – but in a different way. Their personalities were alike. Their sense of humor was the same, their comments had the same satiric underside; their smirked at the same time and grunted in the same places.

Mikoto was the light of the family. She was different from everybody else, so cheerful and so happy to have her there, that she pampered her the entire evening, smothering her with attention and even sending a pouting Sasuke one seat further down the table so that she could have her next to her.

Itachi was the one who resembled her the most – he was calmer, and smiled more often, rather than simply smirked.

Sasuke himself was different. That she had ever thought for a moment that she knew how amazing of a man he could be sounded ridiculous now. He was another person in his family's presence. He was relaxed, completely at ease, with no longer a _hint_ of coldness in his demeanor. Whatever problems he might have had with his father and his brother, problems caused by their marriage, had been clearly eliminated.

Everything was different now – his attitude towards them was different. Perhaps he had realized that he could lose them any time now? That he needed to appreciate them more? She truly hoped so.

At some point after that had finished dinner and all men at the table, minus Itachi, refused desert, Mikoto gasped as though she had remembered something, an aura of sizzling excitement around her.

"Sakura, come with me, I need to show you something," she said in a rush, rounding the table from where she had been standing behind her eldest son to reach her side.

Before the pinkette could even begin to make sense of her words, she heard her husband groaning beside her.

"Stop complaining," his mother chided, smacking the back of his head lightly.

Across the table, Itachi smirked, provoking yet another glaring contest with his little brother.

Still frowning, half-confused, half-amused, Sakura stood. Mikoto grasped her hand in an instant, and led her across the room and out on the door.

"You _have_ to see little Sasuke. He was _such_ a sweet child!"

~•~

Later that night, the youngest member of the Uchiha family found himself outside, on the porch, gazing out at the snow-covered backyard, with a blanket around his shoulders and a warm glass of wine in his hands. He had just taken a sip of the hot liquid when the door slid open behind him, and familiar footsteps approached him.

"Hey," his wife greeted as she lowered herself to a sitting position next to him, wrapped up in her red coat.

"Hey," he answered, placing his glass beside him, on the floor. "Why are you here? I thought I left you in good company."

"Hmm," she agreed, leaning into him in search for more warmth. Sasuke allowed her to snuggle in the crook of his arm without protest. "You did. But then I realized you were missing… and I got curious. By the way, has anybody ever told you that you were the _cutest_ child ever? I never thought those spikes would be natural since birth, really," she said, grinning widely, as she looked up at him.

He seemed positively mortified, and seemed to consider her unworthy of an answer.

"Aww, don't be like that," she coed, her smile growing even wider, as she titled her head up to kiss his frown away.

"Hn," Sasuke grunted.

"Why are you out here, again?" she asked, changing the subject.

He shrugged. "I needed some time alone, I guess."

Sakura bit her lip, leaning away a fraction. "Do you want me to…?"

"No," he answered in an instant, shaking his head. "You don't count."

"Now _that_ is refreshing," she laughed.

There was a trace of a small smile on his face as he gazed in the distance, at the horizon.

"Is there something the matter?" she asked after a moment of silence, hesitant. "Something you want to talk to me about…?"

Sasuke shook his head. "Not really."

They fell silent after that. The pinkette leaned further into her husband, his large, reassuring presence soothing her down to her every last cell. She was an independent woman, there was no doubt about that, but there was a certain sense of protection and security than only two men had ever given her; and those two men were her brother, Seiji, and her husband, Sasuke.

"You know…" she started, breaking the silence, "I feel so insecure that it's seriously creeping me out."

Sasuke blinked in surprise, not because of the words themselves, but because of the fact that she had _spoken_ them. She never used to share information so willingly before.

"Back in New York, everything felt so right… when you came after me, I mean. And now I feel like… I don't know. I just can't help but wonder: was this the right choice?"

"I hope it was," he replied bluntly.

"I _know_ it was," she retorted confidently. "Deep inside, I mean. I just… There's something holding me back, you know?"

He hesitated before giving his answer, "You're scared."

"Possible," she agreed. "I don't want to screw up again."

"Hn," he grunted. Reaching for his glass of wine, he took another sip of the warm beverage before admitting, "Me neither."

After a moment of deliberation, she concluded, "I think that's a good thing."

Sasuke huffed an amused breath, throwing her a sideways glance. "That we're freaking out?"

"That's one way of putting it," she laughed. "But I meant that we're insecure. That we're scared of screwing up somehow. I think it's normal. And also… we're not thinking about ourselves anymore. We're thinking about _us_."

"We never did that before," he agreed.

"No." She shook her head. "You drowned in jealousy, which can only be about yourself. And I… I don't know what was wrong with me, even now. I was confused. There were question marks all around me. And for so long I actually felt like I _deserved_ to be happy – like happiness was a given right. And you know what?" she inquired, looking up at him with large, green eyes. "It's not. It's a gift to _some_ people. But the rest of us have to fight for it. We have to build it from nothing. And that's what we're doing right now," she said, smiling as she grabbed his hand from where it rested on his knee and intertwined their fingers.

At a complete loss of what to say, he simply gave his usual grunt, while gazing at her with an odd sort of wonder in his eyes, as though he was only now discovering what an amazing woman he had by his side.

Sakura giggled at his predictable answer and once again leaned against him, kissing his cheek. "I missed you."

He didn't answer, but the way he wrapped his arms around her in a warm embrace and buried his nose into her hair, inhaling her scent, told her everything she needed to know.

* * *

_A/N: Damn, I miss Christmas now. Warm wine rocks! Haha!_

_(If you happened to find mistakes, such as words or structures repeating themselves, know that I wrote and edited this chapter on portions. That's my excuse this time, haha!)_

_On a happier note, I changed my site to tumblr. It seems easier to keep in touch with you there, and it's definitely easier to post all the pictures that inspire me there. Be sure to check it out if you're interested! Ohh! And seriously, GO SEE THOSE BOOTIES on my Flickr account. They are gorgeous. Like, the most beautiful pair of shoes I have ever seen. I'd stop eating for a month to gather money to buy them, but scumbag Victoria's Secret didn't think of opening a store around here. DAMN!_

_Also, also! Check out SasuSaku Month 2012 on Livejournal! Maybe the prompts will spark off an idea or two!_

_FFN, I WANT MY LINKS BACK! *wails*_

_Please review! I shall share out chocolate eggs to fuel the spirit of Easter that has already left us!_


	36. Winter Wonders

_A/N: FFN is pulling jokes on me. First, it leaves me without my links. Then, for the second time, it leaves me without those little thingies I used to break my chapters into sections. *sigh* I should have just stuck to the good old horizontal lines… Oh, well. I suppose there's no other way now. _

_Anyway, sorry for the long wait! You all know my excuse, I have an upcoming exam. That being said, expect no more updates on this story until… well, I guess July. Because the moment I'm done with my exam, I'm leaving on a holiday, and I'm not sure how much internet connection I'll have there. I'm going for none, bleah!_

_Enjoy this chapter!_

* * *

_**Incomplete**  
By The Terrorist_

_**Chapter Thirty-Six**_**  
**_Winter Wonders**  
**_

* * *

"Oh, come on," Sakura coed once the car had come to a stop in front of the familiar apartment building, "Stop pouting!"

Sasuke, who was leaning back in his seat, one hand on the steering wheel, the other on the gear stick, spared her a glance, before he turned his gaze back to the car that was parked in front of them.

"I'm not pouting," he said, sullen.

"Yes, you are," she laughed. "You've been pouting since last night. I never took you for such a spoiled brat, you know?"

He threw her a glare.

"Seriously," she pressed. "Your mother gave you everything you wanted, didn't she? Your father, too. You only needed to stick your lip out, and"

He growled, a low, annoyed sound in the back of his throat, causing her to finally lose the battle against laughter and burst into giggles.

"Aren't you late?" he demanded tersely.

Sakura grinned. "No," she answered, leaving over the center console to playfully kiss his cheek. She hovered over his skin for a mere second, but that was all the time he needed to turn his head and meld his mouth to hers.

Their lips met in kiss, after kiss, after kiss. More than playful, they turned passionate. Sasuke leaned into her, tangling his fingers into her hair, bringing her closer, kissing her fiercely, desperately. Sakura, with her seatbelt undone, allowed him to pull her close, responding with as much hunger as he so openly displayed. Her hands fisted in his hair, in his shirt, ruining his frustratingly perfect appearance.

She had nearly undone his tie when the door to the driver's side unexpectedly opened, and they pulled apart just in time for the Uchiha to receive a smack to the back of his head.

"Whatcha doing, bastard? Seducing sweet, innocent, little Saki in a car?"

Sasuke growled, and the next thing she knew, he had unbuckled his seatbelt and flown out of the vehicle.

The pinkette had never thought she would see the day when her husband would grab her best friend in a headlock and shove him headfirst into a pile of snow. She was unsure whether she should laugh or run after them to put an end to their fight, but her decision was made for her when the door opened behind her. She abruptly turned around, still numb with surprise, but a grin spread on her features in an instant when she saw who was waiting for her outside.

The silence in the deserted parking lot was shattered then by two loud squeals, as TenTen and Sakura met for the first time in nearly three months with a hug.

"I can't believe you're finally back!" the brunette said, pulling back to look at her properly. "What did you do to your hair?" she demanded.

Sakura laughed, doing a pirouette and running her fingers through her shiny pink locks. "Do you like it?"

"It's _gorgeous_!" the other woman exclaimed.

"Nothing," she laughed. "I just let it grow – and I straightened it this morning."

"You lucky bitch!" she squealed, before grabbing her in yet another hug.

They both had tears in their eyes when they separated. Then Sakura caught sight of a silent Hinata standing next to them with a smile on her face, and she had to fawn herself in an effort not to let them fall.

"Hinata," she said, pulling the woman into a hug, which she eagerly returned. "I missed you all so much!" she exclaimed, dabbing at her tears with her fingertips when they pulled apart. "Where are Ino and Temari?"

TenTen rolled her eyes. "Getting dressed and doing make-up. It's hard to choose when you suddenly get a boyfriend, you know?"

"Aww," the pinkette coed, smiling.

"Come on, grab what you need and let's go. I'm freezing," she proclaimed.

Sakura nodded and turned around, reaching into the backseat for her bag and coat. Straightening her posture as she closed the door, she frowned. "What about…?" she asked, pointing unsurely in the direction of the snow-covered park, where she could still hear Naruto's loud voice.

"Leave them," the brunette advised, waving her hand in a gesture of dismissal. "You can't separate them until they decide they're done, so there's not point in trying. Now _come_ on, I'm _freezing_ and I really want some hot chocolate."

~•~

It was hard to believe how much she had missed her friends. After all, she had seen them in New York that one time they had come to visit. But back then, they hadn't had the chance to catch up – not in the real sense of the word; they had been pressured by time, and had tried, without much success, to absorb as much information as they could.

Needless to say, they had been left with a large gap – and the burning desire to continue the conversations they hadn't been able to wrap up then.

This time, though, neither of them needed to part in a matter of only hours. This time, they could spend the entire day talking and absolutely nothing would impede them.

Which was something that some of them seemed intent on taking complete advantage of.

"So, tell us," she said, in a sly tone covered in such fake innocence that Sakura could only narrow her eyes at, "Did you two… have sex yet?"

She rolled her eyes. Why hadn't she seen that coming? "No, you perverted woman, no," she answered, rolling her eyes once more for good measure. "We did not have sex."

"Well," she said, raising her hands in her defense, "I only asked because, you know, you seemed so _close_ in the car…"

"What? What car? You lost me!" Ino exclaimed, nearly panicking over lack of information.

"We were waiting for her, out in the cold, shivering like two stray cats, while she made out with her husband in the car," TenTen explained, earning an uproar of cheers, complaints, and exclamations of surprise from her friends.

"Come on, girls," Temari interrupted, quieting them down. "Can you blame her? 'Cause _I_ know _I_ couldn't. What?" she demanded upon seeing the looks she had been sent. "Did her husband get any less hot since the last time we saw him?"

"No, but that's not the point!" TenTen said.

"God," Sakura made a strangled sound, raising her knees to her chest and burying her face into her hands. "Stop trying to embarrass me!"

The girls laughed.

"Don't you think we haven't noticed you're more open to the subject, missy!" Ino let her know.

"And don't you think we won't take advantage of that!" TenTen completed, before bursting into laughter.

"Fine," Sakura said, her hands falling away. "Let's get this over with. What do you want to know?"

"Why haven't you jumped him yet?" Ino answered, in a tone that made it seem as though it should have been obvious. "I mean, _duh_!"

"Because I haven't –" She stopped abruptly, not even knowing how to answer, and tried not to laugh at the way all of her friends seemed to have leaned forwards in anticipation. "– felt it was time," she finished lamely. "I mean, I thought I wouldn't want to – I thought we would have to wait like, a really long time before we got to that, because some of our problems were directly connected to it. I mean, we didn't talk. As much as you'll probably like the sounds of this, all we did was have sex."

They laughed and whistled at that, making her smile despite her attempts at keeping on track and remaining serious.

"But it's not like that. I don't feel anything of that kind. Nothing's stopping me from going to him right now and saying, 'Hey, Sasuke, let's do it'."

"Then _what_ are you _waiting_ for?" Temari whined, earning another roar of laugher from her friends.

Her smile grew wider. "It's something that will happen, eventually – a normal course of events in a relationship."

"So, I take it the time apart has helped," Hinata said, skillfully steering the conversation away from the previous topic.

"Absolutely," Sakura answered, firm and confident. "He feels like a different person. _I_ feel like a different person. And now… we can finally have our fresh start."

"I heard he came after that fresh start," TenTen prompted, grinning in her direction.

"Yeah," the pinkette confirmed, smiling at the memories that flooded her mind with her words.

"What?" Ino demanded once more, straightening her posture from where she sat on a cushion, on the floor, leaning with one arm on the low coffee table.

Sakura nearly rolled her eyes. She had never quite enjoyed being the center of attention, and although she had known the focus would be mostly on her as they caught up, she had never thought she would be _interrogated_.

"Sasuke came to New York after me," she said. "He came to get me. He said I'd abandoned him, let me know how pissed he was because of that, and told me he wanted me to go home with him. So, I did."

She was surprised, as she raised her gaze from where she had fixed it on the coffee table, to see the women in the room, save for TenTen and Hinata, looking at her with their mouths wide open. Frowning, she was about to ask for an explanation, but Temari spoke before she could do that.

"That's – _God_!" she exclaimed, blinking. "Hot _and_ sweet?"

The pinkette laughed lightly. "I know, right?" she joked.

"Thank God you were ready to come back, because if you felt like he was rushing you… well, that would have been pretty bad," TenTen said.

Sakura rolled her eyes at the tone she had used. "I wouldn't have beaten him up," she assured her.

"I _would_ have," she countered, "In your place. I mean, all this time and all this talk, and he's still no good with patience?"

"Oh, shut up!" was heard in a chorus, to which she rolled her eyes.

"Wow, you can be quite the bitch when you want to be," Sakura remarked in an adoring tone, smiling. "But in any case, I was planning on returning. I didn't know how, though. I didn't know when. Most of all, I didn't know if it would be the right thing to do. Then _he_ appeared and took my choice away, and I think that's a good thing, because… it made me realize that there would have never been a 'perfect time' or a 'perfect situation'. We'd spent so many months apart – and it was time to move on. Maybe it _had been_ time for a long while. I can't possibly know. But when he came after me… that was us, right there. And I couldn't have asked for anything more."

"Aww!" the girls exclaimed, making her smile.

"Enough about me!" she said, quieting them down. "I want to hear about you."

TenTen raised her hand in the air as the chatter rose in volume. "I have something to say!" she announced loudly, and waited until there was complete silence and she had the attention of every person in the room, before smiling sweetly. "I'm pregnant."

"What?" Her words caused yet another uproar in the room as everybody struggled to receive answers to their questions.

Sakura's voice, however, was heard loud and clear above the noise. "I want to be the godmother!" she said. "So that place is taken."

TenTen grinned, throwing her arms around her shoulders and bringing her in a warm embrace. "Of course you will," she said.

The pinkette smiled, resting her head on her shoulder.

"But…" TenTen swallowed, and Sakura pulled away, frowning. "I don't want you to do this if it bothers you. I don't want you to do this if it hurts you."

"Bother me?" For a moment, she was confused. But then she realized what she meant, and quickly shook her head. "Oh, no. No, TenTen, I… I'm over that."

The room was suddenly silent. Ino and Temari had also learned about her miscarriage while she was in New York, but despite her initial reticence, Sakura was actually glad that they had. What she hadn't wanted was their pity back then; now, it didn't matter anymore.

"I don't want this to sound as it does, but… but I can't see how things would have been any better if that child had been born. I don't… I don't want to say this, but maybe… maybe it was meant to be. Maybe it was necessary for us to go through this. Maybe it wasn't. I can't know, but the truth is, I don't even _want_ to know. It happened – that's all that matters. I'm not going to let this haunt me for the rest of my life and stop me from enjoying this with you," she said, grasping the brunette's hand, "and enjoying my own children when they come… I refuse to. As much as I would have liked for this child to live…" She trailed off, shrugging her shoulders lightly, somewhat sadly.

The girls saw that as their opportunity to lighten up the conversation. "You're already thinking of your own children, you little liar," Ino accused. "You're thinking of how you're going to make them while playing innocent in front of us!"

"Oh my God, no," Sakura said, swiftly throwing a pillow in her direction. "Sasuke and I are like, at dating stage. We're not even _thinking_ of children right now."

"How do you know he isn't?" Temari inquired, both eyebrows raised, which made the pinkette pause for a long moment.

"Okay, so I _don't_ know," she laughed, rolling her eyes at her ingenuity. "But we're a couple. If _I_ don't want them, then _he_ doesn't, either."

"Yes, you go, girl! Wear the pants!" Ino agreed from the floor.

Sakura giggled, shaking her head.

"You haven't talked to him about this?" TenTen asked, her voice taking on a more serious tone. "At all?"

"No," the pinkette admitted, shaking her head. "And I don't think I will – at least not so soon. This is a subject that's clearly painful to both of us, and I'm not going to bring it up just because, as a couple, we're supposed to discuss these things. No, we discuss the things that we feel comfortable about. I doubt that drowning together in pain will help us. Of course, if it ever comes up, and it will, at some point in the future, I won't avoid it. But I won't bring it up just for the sake of it." She sighed. "I know Sasuke feels guilty about this, and I… I just don't want to do it."

"He's not the only one," the brunette said.

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked, directing a frown towards her.

"Karin left," she answered. "I mean, I haven't seen her around since the day of your accident. I don't know if someone talked to her, but if they did, it wasn't Sasuke. I mean, he tells Neji everything and Neji tells him everything – Karin is gone. And I think she felt guilty. I think she found out and freaked out and ran so that she wouldn't have to face the consequences of her actions."

The room remained silent throughout her explanation, and until Ino decided to break the tense atmosphere with a snide, "That bitch."

"To be honest," Sakura stated once she had stopped laughing, still smiling, "I don't care anymore. I just want to look to the future – and nothing else."

~•~

The pinkette was distracted by a particularly loud sigh from behind her as she stood, admiring her reflection in the mirror, dressed in a white tank-top and a monotonously grey pair of old sweatpants, but holding several dresses in her hands.

Her husband was sitting in an armchair in the corner of the room, eyes gazing downwards, fixed on his still loose tie.

"We've been through this already," she called in a sing-song voice. "You can't stay home on New Year's Eve, and you're not going to one of those boring office parties, either. So, you're coming with me."

With that said, she turned her attention back on the task at hand.

There had been an unspoken agreement between them ever since that night when they returned from his parents' place. She would sleep in his room, in his bed, in his arms – no questions asked.

However, there was hardly any way they could fit her entire wardrobe in his bedroom without knocking a wall down, and Sasuke had not so subtly hinted that he was not, under any circumstances, doing this now, when he finally got some much-desired peace and quiet. Which meant that, for the time being, she had to relocate when the time came for her to dress up. But that was hardly a problem.

"What do you say?" she asked, turning to face him. "This one… or this one?" In her hands, supported by their respective hangers, she held two dresses which she had bought while still in New York and which she had thought would be suitable for such an occasion. It had taken her quite a while to pick them from the mountain of clothes her unorganized closet could currently be described as.

Her husband, however, seemed less than impressed. "What's the difference?"

She blinked, surprised, before she threw him a bland look. "In color and in texture and in pattern and in design – as well as in every other aspect?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "They're the same length," he deadpanned.

It took a moment for that to register in her mind, and when it finally did, she burst out laughing. "Oh, so _that's_ what you notice," she said, shaking her head. "Enough, enough. Tell me, Sasuke. _Choose_," she commanded, holding the dresses up once more. "This one or this one?"

"That," he said, pointing to the one on the left.

"This?" she asked, turning it over for inspection. "You kind of have a thing for little black dresses, Sasuke."

"You're the one who buys them," he scoffed, and turned his attention back to his tie, continuing to brood in silence.

"True," she laughed.

Sakura looked closely at the dress he had picked. It was simple, form-fitting, with a heart-shaped neckline; if she remembered correctly, it reached her mid-thigh, and complemented her figure nicely. She would have to pair it with a statement necklace to make it stand out more, but… Her train of thought suddenly skidded down another path. Once she concluded it was the right one, she grinned, throwing the dress on the bed – and successfully capturing her husband's attention.

"Nice try," she said, glancing at him over her shoulder before entering her closet. "You want me to lie low so you can keep your hands on me all night long, but no! I'm going to wear this!" she proclaimed as she came out, holding a sequined dress in her hand. "Everyone will notice me and I'll stick to your side the entire time so that you get to suffer from too much social interaction."

Sasuke groaned, his head falling back to thump against the back of the armchair.

Sakura, on the other hand, simply laughed, delighted.

~•~

It was hard to say exactly how they arrived home that night. They had driven, that was a given, and he must have been the one to do it, because Sakura was hardly in the right state for it. Sasuke himself had served a glass of champagne at midnight, but in all honesty, he was more intoxicated by her presence than by the alcohol.

He had been aware of that particular aspect that characterized their relationship, of course. From the moment he opened up to the idea of living the rest of his life with her, he had realized how incredibly dangerous she could be. A simple gesture of hers could bring him to his knees – _that_ was how much power she had over him now. That was how much power she would have _always_ had, had he allowed himself to truly open up and see her for what she was – for his wife, for the woman he loved, for the person he wanted to share his life with.

A simple whiff of her perfume, and all his senses went haywire. At the touch of her lips, the entire world melted away – and all that was left was her.

That night, his hands traveled over the material of her dress, up her back, down her sides, into her hair, around her waist… It seemed like an eternity had passed since the last time he had the chance to touch her, and he wanted to drown in that feeling – to forget about everything and everyone apart from her.

In the past, he used to find that weakening. He used to find it annoying, even though he craved her, even though he _wanted_ her close. But now… He wanted her, even now, there was no denying it. But it was different – everything was. More than he wanted to tangle in bed with her all day long, he wanted to hear her voice, cause her laughter, see her eyes, feel her smile… He wanted all of her. And, this time, he wasn't afraid to receive it anymore. He had place for her in his life now – and it was the place she had always deserved.

That was the conclusion he reached just before a loud clatter was heard, his movements were suddenly obstructed, and a small squeak sounded against his lips. Sakura smiled, then giggled, and stumbled once more to the side, making him tighten his grip on her waist in order not to let her fall over.

"You backed me up into a table," she whined against his lips, amused, as she clung to his neck with her arms.

Sasuke gazed down at her, his eyes unclear, not really understanding her words, not really caring to understand, either. His gaze was on her lips – full, red, bruised from his kisses and stretched into a smile. Before long, he leaned down to capture them into yet another kiss, but before he could do that, the front door burst open downstairs. They pulled apart abruptly, staring at each other with wide eyes, until a booming voice echoed through the large, empty house.

"Sakuraaa!"

There were different reactions from the two spouses. At first, they both frowned. Then Sakura smiled, squealed, and dashed towards the staircase, leaving Sasuke to curse the day he allowed the blond-haired idiot into his life.

He took a moment to gather his bearings, knowing that no one would appreciate it if he lunged for his throat the moment he caught sight of him, before heaving a resigned sigh and following his wife.

Climbing down the stairs with a scowl on his face and his hands in his pockets, he found Sakura and Naruto face to face, a bottle of champagne between them, the latter explaining to her how he had been unable to bear the thought of it ending up in the wrong hands and had the wonderful idea of sharing it with her because, apparently, they were like brother and sister – and he shared everything with his sister.

A rather ashamed Hinata stood behind him, throwing them both looks of apology. But only Sasuke caught those, as Sakura was very busy acting idiotic right along with the blond.

Clapping her hands, she jumped up and down in a childish manner.

Sasuke _still_ wished he could murder her self-proclaimed best friend.

But in the end, seeing her so happy made everything – including having to deal with him – worth it.

~•~

It was a cold day in January, approximately two weeks since she came home, when the pinkette decided to give in to her lazy side and sleep in. She awoke briefly when the warmth of her husband's toned body left the bed, but then once again allowed herself to be swallowed up by unconsciousness as blankets were tucked around her and a kiss was laid on her forehead.

Now, almost three hours later, she stood in the middle of the kitchen, still dressed in her pink and black pajamas, leaning against the counter with a glass of orange juice in her hand. Having nothing planned for the rest of the day, she resumed at watching the large snowflakes descend from the dark sky, feeling oddly disconnected from the world – but most of all, from Sasuke.

Usually, she was there to see him off in the mornings. They would both be awakened by either his alarm clock, or her annoyingly accurate sense of time, and they would have breakfast together.

Now, Sakura knew that only by interrupting their routine one day she wouldn't ruin their relationship, wouldn't lose the ground she'd been so keen on keeping the last time. Rather, the feeling coursing through her veins at the moment was more likely to be attributed to longing. She _missed_ him.

And before she even knew what she was doing, she was reaching for her phone.

**_Can I call you?_ **

All of her current wishes could fit in a simple text-message, so she hit send and waited for a response. Much to her surprise, it came in an instant, almost as though he'd had it written before she'd even thought of sending her own.

_**Meeting**_, he answered shortly, _**Are you alright?**_

Smiling, the pinkette hesitated before typing her next words, knowing that her reasons for bothering him, for all they were innocent, were foolish and even naïve only serving to make him worry in vain.

_**I wanted to call you**_, she finally typed, her finger pressing on the send button before she could change her mind.

Once again, the answer came quickly. She briefly wondered how much experience her husband had when it came to texting, but then pushed the thought away. Sasuke didn't _need_ to be experienced in anything – he was naturally good at nearly everything.

_**Do you want to come over? I can pick you up in 15 minutes.**_

Biting down on her lower lip, she gazed at the screen longingly. There was nothing she wanted more at that moment than to see him, and Sasuke had, once again, hit the mark with his assumptions, seeming to read her mind in that astonishing way only he could. Regardless, the last thing she wanted to do was bother him, distract him, and keep him from doing his job right – and she knew that, by making a sudden appearance in his office, she would do exactly that.

_**You don't have to do that.**_

But she couldn't lie to him, not even when he was miles away.

Despite her internal battle, she had a feeling his answer would have been the same, no matter what she would have told him.

_**Be ready in 15 minutes, then.**_

~•~

When Sakura entered his office that afternoon, she was wearing a long-sleeved, beige sweater that complemented the color of her skin and the brightness of her eyes, together with tight, black pants and tall, brown booties. Her long hair was caught in a messy ponytail, and she was wearing only enough make-up to bring out her eyes.

"You changed your office," she remarked as she turned on her heels to face him, frowning cutely up at him. "Why?"

"There have been a couple of renovations," he answered, shrugging. But that was only half of the truth. There had been renovations, true. But there had been no reason for him to change floors – none of what the rest of the world could understand, at least.

"I like it," she declared after a thoughtful moment. "It's spacious, it's airy, and it's nicely decorated. Though I wouldn't have taken you for a beige kind of guy," she added, playfully skeptical. "I thought you'd be more into morose colors, like, you know, boring grey, depressing navy, emo black… that sort of hues."

Sasuke merely threw her a flat look as he walked past her to take a seat behind his large, mahogany desk. The pinkette grinned, following him.

"Comfy chair?" she inquired, apparently innocently. He raised a questioning brow, and in response, she rounded his neck with her arms and seated herself sideways on his lap, crossing her heel-clad legs. "Better?" she asked.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Much," he answered, amused, as he locked her in his embrace.

The pinkette grinned. Straightening her posture, she peered at his neatly organized desk, child-like curiosity shining in her green eyes. "What do you do all day? Look over papers? What are they about?"

The Uchiha nearly smiled at the quick succession of questions and her excited tone. "I read them, I sign them… I authorize transports. I legalize…" He paused for a moment. "…everything."

Sakura laughed. "Do you like it?"

"Of course," he answered, nearly confused by the question.

She smiled. She had no doubt that he did. It was logical, it was systemized, and every once in a while, it brought a challenge along; it provided him with an important position, with money, and with power. That was everything a man like Sasuke could possibly wish for on a professional level.

"I was thinking…" she started, fingers trailing over the surface of his desk mindlessly. "I'd really like to go to college."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "So, what's stopping you?"

She shrugged. "I don't think there's anything that can stop me," she said. "I've wanted this ever since I graduated from high-school, and I have no intention whatsoever of delaying it until I turn fifty or something like that."

"Ever since you graduated from high-school?" he asked, his brows pulling together in a frown. Reaching out, he titled her face towards him, coaxing her to look at him. "It's been three years since then, Sakura. Why didn't you do it?"

In a rare display of sadness that he had not seen coming after so many days of seeing her beautiful smile, she looked down, shrugging one shoulder self-consciously. "My father told me it would be better if I stood by your side and looked pretty. Too much independence from the woman's part can ruin a relationship, apparently."

"Your father is a bastard," he stated bluntly, "We've already established that." Titling her chin up, he looked at her in the eye. "I can't believe you actually listened to him, Sakura."

She sighed. "Back then, I firmly believed that my life would be over once I married you, anyway. I figured I might as well fuck it up royally."

Sasuke blinked. "Your mind can be very twisted at times, you know that?" he told her.

She laughed. "Yes, I do," she answered. Tightening her embrace, she bent her head to his shoulder, curling into his chest.

With a sigh, Sasuke draped his arms over her shoulders and buried his face into her sweet-smelling hair. "I have a business trip coming up in a month," he declared, breaking the peaceful silence that had fallen over them. "I want you to come with me."

For a moment, she was silent. Then she straightened in his embrace to look at him wide-eyed. "Are you serious?" she asked.

He raised an eyebrow. "Do I joke, Sakura?"

A grin broke on her features, and a squeal pushed past her lips, which she quickly muffled with her hands. Sasuke was amused as he watched her attempt to calm down.

"Okay, then," she said, composed, though barely containing her excitement. "I will. Where are you taking me?"

"Russia," he answered promptly.

"Seriously?" she gaped, eyes wide. "Oh my God, I've always wanted to go there! Well, there and a million places more!"

Sasuke's expression softened at her involuntary confession. "Why didn't you?" he asked gently.

The pinkette blinked in confusion. "Huh?"

"Why didn't you, Sakura?" he repeated. "You could have traveled anywhere. I would have never prohibited you that, and even if I had, it wouldn't have mattered."

Little by little, her excitement faded as she considered his question. "I don't know," she eventually answered. "All these months… there was a thought that haunted me. The thought that maybe I've acted like a bigger victim than I actually was. Maybe if I'd really wanted to do something with my life, I could have. I don't like the idea of my being a victim because I wanted to, but there are moments when it feels like it's the only logical explanation for which I stayed by your side for so long, for which I kept forgiving you over and over again."

Sasuke sighed, leaning further back in his seat. "I, for one, like to think that the reason you've done all that was because, deep inside, you've loved me from the very beginning," he said, surprising her. The words themselves sounded foolish to his ears, but that was the way he felt, and he would be damned if he would rather keep that to himself instead of bringing a smile to her face. "It sounds stupid, since all I ever did was hurt you, but love isn't logic. It's defying and annoying."

Slowly, the shock worn off her features, and a playful grin broke through. "Really, now?" she asked.

"Hn," he grunted, tucking a lock of pink hair behind her ear. His next words were whispered reverently, "Especially annoying."

* * *

_A/N: Don't forget that I've relocated my blog on tumblr! _

_Please review for chocolate chip cookies!  
_

_P.S. I know! I've used this title before, for two chapters in "Pieces of Me". I know. But to my defense, it's not always easy to choose chapter titles, and they're nowhere near as important as the content itself, and I can't always be expected to have inspiration at the right moment, now can I?  
_


	37. Here for You

_A/N: This is going to be a looong author's note, so brace yourselves! But please, do read._

_Okay, to clear a couple of aspects up. A lot of you have claimed Sakura to have been a heartless bitch when she said her child might have been meant to die. That's not what she would have wanted for it to sound like, and she said that herself. That she is trying to come to terms with the fact that she's lost her child? That doesn't mean she doesn't care about him. What she meant was that maybe there was nothing she could have done to stop that accident. She doesn't want to blame herself and she doesn't want to blame Sasuke. She wasn't in control of the situation, things didn't turn out the way she would have wanted them to turn out, so why should she torment herself on the matter? It's her way of coping with everything. Does she really deserve to be judged for trying to move on? I don't think so. So for those of you who've claimed to hate her for this, if you're still reading, try to see it that way, too._

_About Sakura liking it when Sasuke was possessive, she cleared that up herself in chapter twenty-six. He was practically growling at every male that approached her, even at those who he had known for a long time, at those who were his colleagues – people he was supposed to trust. He didn't do it out of love, because he didn't even know he loved her at that point. He did it because he wanted to keep her by his side at the very least until he sorted out the mess in his head and in his heart. That was selfish. And not only that, but he showed distrust towards Sakura in the process –and that was something she would not take, not when she hadn't given him a single reason for him to doubt her, not when she hadn't cheated on him once since they became husband and wife. _

_Some of you also said you don't like the Sakura I portrayed. That she's a feminist, that she's too childish, that she's spoiled, selfish, and even controlling. I suppose that if more than one of you felt that way, then it's my own fault. But Sasuke isn't letting himself be controlled by her. He's only trying to gather his bearings and regain his footing. He doesn't want to screw up again, so until their relationship is more solid, he will surpass aspects of himself that could do it harm. The Sasuke we know and love will come back, but I think it's justified that he acts this way. _

_I'll be honest with you, right now, it's hard for me to see where some of you are coming from, because in my head, my entire story makes sense, Sakura's none of the things you called her, and Sasuke's… well, Sasuke's Sasuke. Now, if I failed to transmit that, I'm sorry. I can't well go back and reread the entire story to see where the accusations stem from, because that would take a while, and I'm not sure I'd even be able to do that – not until I detach myself from it first. After I do that… well, I may edit it. But then again, I'm not sure what the purpose of that will be, because you've all have finished reading it by then. _

_So, just to make this clear, I'm not denying anything you have said that I can't prove. I'm no professional writer. I still have a lot to learn. This is my first multi-chaptered story with somewhat of a thicker plot than anything else I've attempted. I see some of my mistakes even now, as early as it is. I wasn't as organized as I should have been, as I now am when planning. There were aspects that changed between one chapter and the next, and maybe that hasn't always been for the better. I was distracted sometimes. I'm not really the type of person to focus solely on one project for, what? – two whole years. I'm not trying to make excuses right now, but I feel that you all deserve explanations, and this is the truth. _

_There is one thing that you can't accuse me of, though, that I won't let you accuse me of, and that's that I don't put heart into what I write. I want to finish this story, yes, but that doesn't mean I'm making up chapters just for the heck of it. I love writing, and I love writing my stories. Updates sometimes take as long as they do exactly because of that – because I want to be in the mood to write a certain topic so that it turns out alright. Things may seem rushed now because the story is coming to an end, the action has wound down, and I see no reason to draw out the scenes when the essential has already been said._

_And now that I'm finally done rambling, let's get on with this chapter._

* * *

_**Incomplete**  
By The Terrorist_

_**Chapter Thirty-Seven  
**Here for You_

* * *

She was dressed in a blue, long-sleeved blouse when he came downstairs that morning, with black pants and light-grey, high-heeled booties. Her pink hair was loose, falling down her back in natural waves, and her green eyes were only slightly enhanced. She was curled up on the couch, with a leg underneath her and a pillow on her lap, watching the images move on the large plasma screen. The remote was in her hand, and there was a steaming cup of tea on the coffee table.

He ran a hand over the back of her neck to make her aware of his presence, and she turned her head to look at him, smiling widely.

"Hey," she greeted as he bent over to press a small kiss to her lips.

"You're up early," he commented as he took a seat on the armchair beside her.

Sakura nodded. "I didn't sleep very well," she admitted.

His frown was concerned. "Are you alright?"

She smiled. "I'm fine. I made pancakes, by the way. They're in the kitchen."

As her husband stood to walk in the direction he had been indicated, she returned her attention to the television; a moment passed, and she turned her head towards the door.

"Sasuke," she called, and nearly smiled as she received a grunt in response. "Do you have something to do today?"

"No," he answered as his form sauntered back into the living room; there was a plate of food in his hands, which he set on the coffee table before retaking his seat. "It's Saturday."

"I want you to come somewhere with me," she told him, gazing into his eyes.

There was nothing about her demeanor that indicated what her actual feelings were towards her own offering, and despite the heavy atmosphere that seemed to descend upon them, that was what squeezed his heart and worried him most.

~•~

She insisted that she drove on the way there, and Sasuke willingly handed over the keys to his precious Aston Martin, not because he was unable to deny her anything, but because he was still unnerved by her attitude. The smile on her face was still there, and it was just as genuine as before, and her laugh also sounded the same. But there was something about her that had changed. Sasuke was unsure what. The air around her had shifted. It was as though something was pressing down on her, bothering her, affecting her no matter how hard she tried to hide it.

The drive took a mere fifteen minutes. She never made it to the highway; she used winding roads to reach the outskirts of the city, before coming to a smooth stop in front of a gate that he – along with other occupants of that part of the town – knew all too well.

She was silent as she unbuckled her seatbelt and slid out of the car, and he wordlessly mimicked her movements. Once outside, she moved to his side and grasped his hand. Sasuke wanted to reprimand her for not having taken her coat along, but bit his tongue. The large, iron gates were soon opened by her hands.

Whatever it was that she had to tell him, it couldn't be easy and it couldn't be pleasant, he realized as she began to lead him through the maze that was the main cemetery. It was an eerie sight. The sky was covered by dark clouds while the ground was covered by blinding snow – much like a monochrome painting. But Sakura dragged on, and he wondered how much about her past there still was for him to learn.

He never had the chance to find an answer to his own question as she came to a stop in front of a particular grave. Her small hand tightened minutely around his, but he was so frozen that he didn't even manage to squeeze it back before she let go and kneeled down in front of the tombstone, ignoring the snow that was due to soak into the material her pants. With shaking fingers, she reached out to wipe the thin layer of loosely packed snowflakes that had gathered over the cold granite, revealing the name he was aching to see.

_Haruno Seiji_ was engraved into the stone, along with two years that revealed him to be no older than eighteen.

"He was my brother," he heard her whisper. Her voice was soft and quiet, with an underlying hint of sadness, of desperation, of heartbreaking sorrow that he loathed so much.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. She had never talked about him before, and he wondered whether it was her lack of trust in their relationship that had stopped her, or her own inner fears. Was it a mixture of them both?

"You know…" she started, interrupting his train of thought, "I used to be jealous of you."

He frowned.

She smiled sadly as she looked up at him. "Your mother was everything. Hell, she was more than I had ever even dared to _dream_ about. She was… incredible. Your father cared about you. He actually spared you a second glace; he _listened_ to what you had to say. And you still had your brother. And you – like the cocky bastard I fell in love with – pushed them all away, like you didn't need them, like you didn't _want_ them."

Sasuke sighed. Shrugging his coat off his shoulders, he draped it over her own and crouched down beside her. "I took a lot of things for granted," he admitted. His tone clearly implied that he had changed, and she smiled. He was the man she had always known to be inside of him – the man she had always secretly wanted.

"I love you," she told him, adoration shining in her green eyes.

"I love you, too," he answered without reservations.

Her gaze lowered, and her fingers skimmed over the engraved name of her elder brother once more. "He was eighteen when he died," she confessed. "I was sixteen. He… had just bought his first car… and I bugged him to take me for a ride. I was young. I was reckless. He was more calculated; he must have known it was not a good idea. It was cold and snowing and everything told us not to, but I refused to budge… and he loved me. God, he loved me so much, Sasuke. There was nothing he wouldn't have done for me."

"Car accident," he reasoned.

She nodded. "It was horrible. When I woke up alone in that hospital… When the doctor told me he had no made it… I wanted to die, I swear. Everyone blamed me – _my parents_ blamed me. For a long time, I blamed myself, too."

"It was not your fault," he interrupted firmly, resolutely.

"I know," she answered, sniffling. "I realized that not too long ago. The trip to New York has made me aware of a lot of things. I had time to think… and I came to the conclusion that it couldn't have been my fault. I loved him, Sasuke," she whispered, looking at him. "He was… he was everything – _everything_. He was the only one who loved me, the only one who cared about me, the only one who was willing to protect me. There was nothing that I needed when I had him by my side – he made sure I had everything. He was the only one who wanted to see me happy, Sasuke… How could that accident have been my fault, when all I wanted was to be dead in his place?"

"It wasn't your fault," he assured her, his hand rubbing comforting circles on her back, fingers tangled in her pink locks. "You know that. He knows that. I know that. Nobody else matters."

"You know, I never told anybody about this. Sure, Naruto knows, but that's because he used to be his best friend… But I never told him all the details, either. I was afraid that talking about him would somehow diminish the intensity my memories, make them fade… and the simple thought of that was terrifying, because he was my brother and the only person who ever loved me and I couldn't accept the fact that he was no longer with me," she confessed, her voice small and chocked.

Sasuke sighed. "You need to let him go," he murmured.

"I think I already did," she confessed, wiping her tears away. "Getting all of this out is a huge step for me. But I will never forget him."

"No one says you should," he reassured her gently. "He will always be your brother."

"And he will always watch over me," she finished, her tone hopeful, as though begging him to agree, to confirm that.

Sasuke nodded. "And I will take care of you for him," he supplied.

Mulling over the newly acquired information, the Uchiha wondered whether her brother would have approved of their relationship. He supposed not. He supposed, had he been alive, their relationship would have actually never even existed. He would have kept her away from him, away from this unwanted marriage, for sure. She would have never had to endure everything she had endured by his side.

A part of him wished that had been real, wished her brother had been alive – wished he had stopped their parents from treating her so cruelly. Maybe the same treatment had been applied to him by his own father, but Sasuke knew it was different. Had Fugaku doubted, even for a second, that Sakura was perfect for him, he would have never forced her on him. He was good at reading people; he had been certain that she could win his heart just like Mikoto had won his, even though their situation couldn't have been more different.

Satoru was another story altogether. Sasuke could bet on his entire family heritage that he had not given their marriage a second thought. Harsh as it may sound, he didn't care about his daughter. According to her, the only person who had ever cared about her had been her brother, and after witnessing what he had, he believed every word of that.

He briefly wondered how horrible it was of him to be selfish and be glad that she had been led to him, even by such unfortunate circumstances. He pushed the thought away. Things had happened the way they had, and the monster in him was happy, but he knew that if there was something he could do to ease her pain, to go back in time and stop life from breaking her, he would do it without hesitation.

A small smile on her face, Sakura allowed him to cradle her to his chest. "Next month… next month is his birthday," she whispered.

"Sakura…" he murmured, words lacking, with his lips pressed against her hair.

"You know… I'm actually glad that we'll be away by then. It will be easier for me to deal with the pain." She looked up at him. "I love my hometown. I do. But all the bad things in my life happened here, and there are times – times like these – when it becomes too much… Sometimes, I wish I could leave everything behind and just go – away. With you."

He kissed her temple, and with a sigh, stood up, coaxing her to mimic his movements. "Come on," he said. "Let's go home."

Sakura heaved a sigh. Touching her lips to her fingers, she let them graze the surface of the tombstone once more, before standing up. Sasuke wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and she leaned into him, loving the comfort and reassurance his simple presence offered her so selflessly.

"You know what I want?" she asked in a small voice. He thought she sounded like a child. "I want some hot chocolate."

"Hn," he grunted. A smirk worked its way past his façade; bringing chocolate into discussion could only mean one thing – she was alright again. "I told you to take a coat."

"Your coat keeps me warmer," she argued. "I just want chocolate."

He smirked, and with one last kiss to her pink locks, continued to lead her back to the car.

~•~

Later that day, as the little sunlight that had broken through the clouds once they left the cemetery began to dip over the horizon, they curled up on the couch, in the library – Sakura with a cup of hot chocolate in her hands and a soft blanket wrapped around her shoulders, and Sasuke with his conservative cup of tea. The wind had picked up again, and snow fell heavily outside as flames roared in the fireplace, lighting up the otherwise darkened room.

"Tell me about Itachi," the pinkette encouraged, green eyes warm as they bored into his onyx ones.

Sasuke hesitated. "Sakura…" he murmured, unsure of whether taking the step she was asking him to take was a good idea after witnessing what he had witnessed and finding out what he had found out that morning.

"Come on, tell me," she pressed, shifting closer to him. "I want to know what he was like when you were little."

Her smile convinced him, but even so, enough time passed until he gathered his courage to speak. "He was… he was everything, once," he confessed, and swallowed. Despite the fact that their relationship had been repaired down to every last fissure, Sasuke doubted he had gotten over the fact that he had disappointed his elder brother on such a high level; but he was on the right way to recovery. "I was always following him around, wanting to be like him… He didn't always have time for me, but when he did…"

"He made it worthwhile, didn't he?" she cut in with a knowing smile.

Sasuke nodded. He still had trouble sharing bits and pieces of his life and mind and even heart with somebody else. He was a man of a few words, and if he was willing to make the effort to open up more than he was comfortable with, it was for her and her only. He would never be able to completely change that essential part of his being, that piece of his construction, but Sakura seemed content with him exactly the way he was – and for that, he was thankful.

"It was easier for us," she murmured, and although, physically, she was there, with him, her mind seemed to have delved far away in the past. "We attended the same high-school, so I was always with him, whether he wanted it or not." She laughed lightly, but her eyes were glassy and pained. "I didn't even have normal friends—like, girlfriends, because I wasn't like them. I couldn't have sleepovers, I couldn't…" She stopped and shook her head. "But I didn't care, because I had him."

Placing his mug of tea on the coffee table, he reached out to cup her face within his hands, gently wiping the unbidden tears that had unknowingly escaped her eyes away with his thumbs. "Sakura, you don't have to talk about this if you don't want to," he told her.

"I do want to," she answered, her small hands coming to rest on his wrists. "It hurts, but… but it feels good at the same time. Because I know… it can't get any worse. It can only get better. And it will, because you're here now. I'm not alone anymore."

He kissed her forehead, then her temple, and then tugged her into his arms. She immediately curled herself against him, resting her cheek on his shoulder and allowing his strong embrace to engulf her whole. A few tears leaked from her eyes, but save for the occasional sniffle, she remained silent.

"Itachi was never meant to marry you," he decided to say, to change the course of the conversation and chase her demons away.

"What?" she breathed, pulling away with a furrow between her brows. "That means that… all this time…"

"Aa," he sighed. Although the news had impacted him quite a lot when they had been delivered to him, Sasuke had, by then, been past the stage where he would start judging people immediately. With twenty-twenty hindsight, he knew perfectly well how much of a prick he had been; he had reacted much more badly than he had had the right to. But with his life the way it was now, he didn't want to think of reasons and analyze situations anymore. He simply wanted to leave everything behind; accept the truth and move on, like he should have done from the very beginning.

"We need to find a way to thank Itachi, Sasuke," she whispered, capturing his attention. "Everything he did… I never felt as though he was doing it out of obligation, but still, the reasoning was there, in the back of my mind. But now that we know that he didn't do it out of guilt, but because he cared about both of us…" she left her sentence unfinished as she shook her head.

He did not need to hear the rest, though. Stroking her cheek, he tugged her closer and kissed her gently, her lips sweet and tainted with the scent of chocolate. When they pulled apart, she rested her head back on his chest, cuddling close to his warmth, while Sasuke reached for the blanket to tug it up her small back for added comfort.

A switch seemed to have been turned on in the darkness that was her past, and he finally felt that he could understand her better. A lot of things made sense now; her insecurity, her pain, the sadness that had always been hidden in the depths of her eyes. But for a while now, ever since she returned from New York, there had been a flickering light in them that was giving him hope – hope that it was not only _them_ that would be alright, but also _her_.

"Why did your father lie to you?" she asked from her comfortable spot in his arms.

Stroking her hair with one hand, Sasuke shrugged slowly. "I suppose he wasn't sure how to handle my reaction. He's… like me; not very good with feelings. But he knew – _he_ _knew_, Sakura – I would be happy with you. He wouldn't have done it otherwise."

As she shifted on his chest, he was able to see her soft – and somewhat sad – smile. "I know," she whispered, reaching up to trace his cheek. "That's why you have to appreciate him. To appreciate his presence in your life and everything he has done for you. He means you well."

"I do appreciate him," he answered, grasping her hand into his larger one. "You've taught me that."

~•~

On their first date she wore a simple, red wrap-dress, with a rather conservative length, but what could only be described as a plunging neckline. Her eyes were smoky and her lips were shiny, and her long hair had never looked softer. The man who attended to them actually had to do a double-take – which did not go unnoticed by Sasuke.

For a moment, as his protective instincts awakened after so long of lying dormant in a dark corner inside of him, he almost growled. But he managed to contain himself at the last minute, and merely tightened his grip on her hand; he also stepped in front of her in an effort to conceal her from his sight.

The knowing smile she had on her face as they were led towards their assigned table had him realizing that his possessiveness had not been as subtle as he had wished for it to be – but also that he had not unknowingly crossed any boundaries again.

As they were looking over their menu, Sakura found herself smiling at her husband from across the table. Sasuke felt her stare and raised his head, an inquisitive look in his dark eyes.

"You know… Had someone told me a year ago that I would be here, with you, now…" She grinned sheepishly. "I would have either burst into tears or slapped them."

He seemed amused as he considered the situation. "I would have punched them," he confirmed after a moment, making her laugh.

A sweet smile on her face, she reached for his hand; albeit somewhat confused, the Uchiha gave it to her and watched as she intertwined their fingers lovingly.

"We've been through a lot," she said, her voice smaller; as she looked up at him, her eyes seemed tired yet full of life at the same time. "But now… now I feel like it's all been worth it. Despite all the painful situations and the hurtful words… I have you now, and everything suddenly matters less."

His tongue tied, Sasuke never had the chance to answer as the waiter returned to take their orders. Once he snapped out of his daze, his response was brief and to the point. When Sakura ordered, she looked up and sent him a dazzling smile that almost had him tripping over his own feet. Sasuke glared all the way after him, and by the time his gaze returned to the woman sitting before him, she was laughing silently behind her hand.

He threw her an exasperated look as she fought to regain control of herself, and that seemed to be enough to make her take in a deep breath and straighten her spine, gazing down at the table.

"I guess you'll have to lock me up in the house from now on," she claimed, before silent giggles took over her body once again.

Sasuke glared. That she seemed to be unaffected by his possessiveness and that he was relieved because of that was one thing. That she was making fun of him on the matter was another.

While his protective nature had been a problem in the past, the young Uchiha could clearly see the difference now – he could see the proverbial line. What he was feeling was not jealousy anymore; but he wasn't about to allow men to ogle his wife, either, and that – that was alright; understandable, even.

"Who can understand you men?" she continued. "You all want to marry the most beautiful women, but you don't want to deal with the consequences." Her chin was resting on the palm of her hand as she spoke in a teasing tone and her eyes were twinkling with mischief.

He would have responded to her dare, but he saw exactly when her expression changed. He raised an eyebrow.

Clearing her throat, her mood seemed to suddenly become somber. "Don't turn around," she said. "I don't think you're going to like the sight."

Sasuke didn't listen, and when he realized what she was talking about, he had the feeling that she never even thought he would.

"Do you want to leave?" he asked as he leaned back in his seat, watching her intently.

She shook her head with such firmness it surprised him. "No. I'm not going to live my life around them," she said, eyes gazing in the distance at the two persons that gave her life – the two persons that were supposed to have loved and protected her, but that barely spared her a second glance, even now. "They don't want me and they've made that clear. You can't force someone to love you."

"Were they always like this?" he asked.

"Yes," she answered with a shrug. "From what I remember, yes. They weren't abusive or mean or horrible. They gave us everything. But that didn't mean they loved us. They loved Seiji, I think. Or maybe they didn't, but it was definitely something more there, between them. I was more like an unwanted bonus." She huffed an amused breath, and he resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "But they were never… they were never parents. We were never a family – like you were."

"You're part of it now," he reminded her gently.

She smiled. "Your mother told me the same thing." She shook her head. "She's really amazing."

"She is," he agreed.

"You know," she began, leaning forward and reaching for his hand once again. "One day, I hope I'll be as good of a mother as she is."

For a moment, he could hardly breathe. But then he snapped out of his daze. Swallowing, he cradled her hand in his and raised it to his lips, pressing a kiss to her knuckles.

His answer, when it came, was the most reassuring whisper she had ever heard. "You will."

~•~

Naruto had his wedding in the dead middle of winter. Sakura was ecstatic because that would guarantee a gorgeous scenery. Sasuke was sullen because that would mean it would be cold.

It was a small wedding, contrary to expectations, with only the closest friends and extended family, but that didn't make it any less special. It turned out to be quite a memorable event, but much to the Uchiha's pleasure, that wasn't due to his relatively new friend's exuberant personality, but due to his wife's-to-be gentle and calm demeanor – not to mention good taste.

The cold still bothered him, though. He was clearly upset as he stood with his hands in his pockets outside the church where the wedding ceremony was to be completed, glaring at TenTen, who seemed to find it particularly amusing that he was discomforted and discontented about something as simple as the weather. To which she added that she had never imagined he was a man who enjoyed staying indoors and _cuddling_ on cold winter days.

"Where's Sakura, anyway?" the brunette complained.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "How am I supposed to know?"

"She went out the door with me," she reasoned. "She never told me she had something else to do, so – oh, never mind," she said, and before the Uchiha could demand further explanations, a small hand crept over his back and pink appeared in his peripheral vision.

As he turned his head to look at her, only one thought circled his head: she was gorgeous. Sakura wore a simple blue dress, made of the softest material he had ever touched, and tall beige heels. Her green eyes were brought out by heavy make-up and her hair was pulled in a messy up-do.

"Sorry," he heard her say as his ears began to tune in to the world around him once again. She was rolling her eyes, and seemed to show a mixture of both amusement and exasperation as she talked to TenTen. He slipped an arm around her shoulders. "I had to make sure Naruto wouldn't do something stupid, like wear an orange suit. It's my duty as his friend."

Before he knew what he was doing, Sasuke snorted. "And you thought you should make sure now?" What was she about to do, strip him bare and send him to his wedding in a business suit he wasn't sure he even owned?

Sakura directed a playful glare towards him. "Hey, don't judge." Her gaze was directed elsewhere before he could think of a reply, and she smiled and waved at a clearly deliriously happy Naruto.

The Uchiha almost rolled his eyes as he noticed his bright orange tie – apparently, the pinkette couldn't work wonders as he had become accustomed. From the entrance of the church, he saw the blond opening his mouth and he cringed in anticipation, but much to his surprise, he remained quiet. He turned to see his wife hushing him with a finger over her lips and a stern look in her eyes, and he changed his opinion in an instant.

As Naruto grinned, his blue eyes seemed to shine with mischief, and Sasuke suddenly knew why Sakura had tried to control him even when she would usually allow him to do everything he wanted. He had been witness to a lot of their stupid conversations. At first, he had been surprised to see his wife acting the way she was, doing so many childish things without caring, but then he remembered that Naruto had known her for a much longer time than he had, and he could use their encounters to know her a bit better. She would never act in his presence the way she acted in the presence of her best friend, and that was alright, because their relationship was different.

But it was nice to see a side of her past that wasn't painful – and that side was reflected in their friendship. It was clear to him that Sakura had begun to see in Naruto the elder brother she had lost, considering the fact that the three of them had been inseparable, according to her recollections, and he was content with that, because he was sure that the blond, as much of an idiot as he was, would never hurt her.

Ignoring her advice, he seemed to insist that he needed to say something, but a red-haired woman grasped his arm and captured his attention. They entered the church after a moment, followed by a vaguely familiar blond-haired man that smiled warmly at Sakura before disappearing inside.

TenTen turned a frown towards them. "Where have I seen him before?" she asked.

"He's his father," Sakura answered.

"And the woman he entered with –" the brunette concluded by herself, and she completed with a nod.

"His mother. They're so nice; I'll introduce them to you later on, but now we should move inside." Turning to him, she grinned. "They said they particularly want to meet you, by the way."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

She smiled. "Of course, I knew you _love_ introductions and small talk, so I knew you would be _thrilled_ to hear that."

With that bright smile on her full lips and those green, green eyes, Sasuke couldn't even bring himself to muster a glare.

~•~

She was tipsy by the end of the night.

Naruto's and Hianta's was the first wedding they attended without any tension whatsoever between them – and, essentially, as a real couple – and whether it was because of that or because the time she had spent in New York had helped her shed all of her restrictions and insecurities, the pinkette had made sure to enjoy it to the fullest. When she was not beside him, she was either with the newlyweds, with their parents – and Sasuke had not been surprised at all when he realized that she had managed to win over even Hinata's father – or with her friends.

As cup after cup of champagne was drowned, she tended to stick more to his side and laugh. She loved laughing. She laughed the entire way home, actually, including while he rounded the car to open the door for her. No matter how much he insisted, she blatantly refused to put her coat on, claiming that she was hot – and with how much she had been moving inside the car, Sasuke did not doubt that in the least.

"Hey, hey," she said, catching his attention as he closed the door behind her. "Did you see the bow?" The next moment, she was raising her leg in the air so that he could notice the detail on her high-heeled shoes.

He almost laughed, but there was definitely a smile on his face as he slipped his arms around her and picked her up, ignoring her as she aww'ed and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

With all the doors and his busy hands, it took him a bit longer than usual to reach his bedroom. Once he did, he let his still laughing wife to tumble down onto the bed, fighting another smile at the scene. He wasn't sure she herself knew what exactly she was finding so funny.

Turning his back on her so that he could lock the front door, something he had neglected to do with her clinging to his neck, he was certain he would have to endure more of her drunken amusement before he had the chance to close his eyes. He took a small detour to the kitchen on his way, from where he got a bottle of water, seeing as one of his wife's silly sleeping habits was to always have something to drink on the nightstand, in case she woke up thirsty in the middle of the night.

By the time he arrived back into his bedroom, however, she was already asleep, curled up on his side of the bed with her head buried in his pillow. She looked so calm and peaceful – downright angelic – that this time, Sasuke consciously let his smile break through. He didn't bother to wake her up so that he could wrestle the sheets from underneath her, so he resumed at grabbing a blanket from the closet and covering her small body with it, though not before having taken off her shoes.

Moving curly locks of pink hair away from her face, he bent down to kiss her forehead; she didn't even stir. Shaking his head with a smirk on his face, he contemplated taking a shower. But then he changed his mind, and lied down beside her. She was far too tired to feel the mattress dip slightly with his weight or even cuddle close to his warmth as she would do when sober.

But Sasuke didn't mind. Having her next to him was enough.

~•~

The front door burst open, banged against the wall, and then slammed closed so hard the entire frame vibrated.

Two sets of heavy footsteps resounded angrily through the foyer and into the living room, where they suddenly stopped as a masculine voice called out, "You're being irrational!"

Pink hair flew around a heart-shaped face to rest on its owner's shoulders as she turned to gape at her husband. "_I'm_ being irrational?" she demanded. "Well if I'm being irrational, then I'm sorry, Sasuke, but you're being the biggest drama queen the world has ever seen!"

"I'm dramatic?" he countered, pointing to himself in indignation. "Sakura, burst out of your bubble!"

"_My bubble?_" she shrieked, shocked. In that moment, she could hardly see anything other than red in front of her eyes. She resisted the urge to let out a frustrated roar. Instead, she settled for screaming her mind out loud. "You know what? You're such a selfish bastard that I wonder what I've seen in you!"

Sasuke scoffed. "You think I don't wonder what I've seen in _you_?"

Clenching her jaw, she grabbed a pillow from the nearest armchair and chucked it right at his face. The fact that he caught it before it could even touch him, reached out and snatched it out of thin air in his own annoyance, only served to further fuel her anger. "Ugh, I can't fucking stand you sometimes!" Promptly turning her back to him, she marched out of the room without another glance.

Sasuke's glare followed her up the stairs. The last he saw of her was her pink hair as she angrily rounded the corner at the top of the staircase; the door of her bedroom slamming behind her was the last thing he _heard_.

So, naturally, he responded by storming into his office and slamming his own door shut.

~•~

Night had fallen by the time Sakura exited her bedroom and started down the hallway that would lead her to what had originally been her husband's. Pushing the door open without knocking, she was surprised to see him in the middle of the room, dressed in only a pair of sweatpants and with a towel around his shoulders, spiky hair damp from what she could only guess had been a recent shower. Wherever he had been heading, he had stopped now, gazing at her with a furrow between his brows and confused, slightly wider than usual eyes.

For a long moment, all they did was stare at each other. Then she sighed and looked down, twisting her hands together.

"You didn't mean that you said to me, did you?" she asked in a small voice, peeking at him through the pink locks that had fallen in her eyes.

Sasuke seemed the perfect impersonation of a stuck-up, arrogant spoiled brat whose pride had been wounded. "Hn," he grunted in response.

Raising her head, she tucked her hair behind her ear. "I didn't mean it, either," she admitted. "It's just that…" A groan left her lips as her shoulders slumped. "You can be so frustrating at times, Sasuke."

That caused him to raise an eyebrow. "Says who? _You_? The stubborn one?"

"You're calling me stubborn when _I'm_ the one who came to apologize?" she countered, fixing him with an exasperated stare.

Pressing his lips together, he refused to answer and simply turned his head away.

Sakura heaved a sigh and approached him, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head on his chest without another word. At first, he remained as stiff as a board. But then, as he let out a heavy breath, all the tension seemed to leave his body, and his arms came to wrap around her small frame as his lips pressed against the top of her head.

"Was this our first fight?" she asked after a minute of silence, her voice muffled against his skin.

"Our first stupid, irrational fight?" he clarified. "Yes."

She resisted the urge to giggle. "What even triggered it?"

He frowned as he rested his chin on the top of her head and tried to find an answer. He came up short. "Who cares?" he eventually said, and bent his head to touch his lips to hers.

"I love you," she murmured in their kiss. "And I'm sorry."

"Aa. Me too."

~•~

It was a cold night in February that Sasuke got the surprise of his life.

He was in his room, sitting on the edge of the bed, looking over a contract he had brought home from the office. A knock resounded against the already opened door, and he gave a small grunt before raising his head – and freezing.

There she was, leaning against the doorframe, dressed in only a short, almost see-through black baby-doll and a pair of matching panties that barely left anything to the imagination.

"Hey," she greeted in a soft tone, smiling almost shyly under his intense stare.

He swallowed thickly as she began to make her way towards him, her posture missing the confident allure it had once had, replaced instead by something akin to submission. Under normal circumstances, that would have distressed him, had it not been for the fact that he happened to realize something of great importance – along with her submission, came the easy calm and comfort they had always wanted, but never managed to find.

She no longer needed to call forward confidence she did not even have in order to mask her insecurities; she was now offering herself to him without the black tendrils of doubt. She rested perfectly safe in the knowledge that he would never hurt her, that they were in this together and that, no matter what happened or what they came across, he would help her in her hardest times, as she would help him.

And beneath that, there was the real confidence an independent woman like her should have. The confidence she had in making the right choice – in giving him everything, in placing all of her trust in him – in her husband, her lover, her best friend – and trusting him to protect it as much as he would protect her. If possible, he fell in love with her even more.

"Sakura…" he murmured as she came to stand in front of him, her fingers waving through the thick strands of his spiky hair. Her nails scratched his scalp softly, and he closed his eyes, both in contentment and in pleasure, trying hard to ignore the reactions she awoke inside of him with a touch as simple as this. He hadn't had a woman in a long time, and he would have been willing to keep it that way; the thought of touching another woman – someone that was not his wife – sounded almost repulsing now, and he knew he would never stoop down to that level again. That didn't mean he didn't miss having sex, though. After all, he was a man and he would lie if he said he hadn't been waiting for this moment ever since Sakura returned. That became especially logical to him when he took into consideration the fact that he had slept by her side every single night since then – and that his wife was not one to wear normal pajamas.

He briefly wondered whether this wasn't another one of his torturous dreams. But then her hand moved again, brushing his bangs away from his face, and he realized that this was real, this was truly happening. Slowly, he opened his eyes, locking gazes with hers. She smiled at him, that sweet smile she reserved only for him, and bent down to kiss him, softly touching her lips to his.

Everything was lost then. The papers in his hands were abandoned and fluttered to the floor in a disorganized heap as his fingers found the soft material that covered her waist. Slowly, he leaned backwards until his back touched the mattress, and she followed him down; the feel of her subtle curves pressing into him and her soft skin on his nearly took his breath away.

When the kiss was broken, he found himself looking up at her while a curtain of silky pink hair isolated them from the rest of the room.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked as he smoothed it away from her face and behind her ears, his breath fanning against her lips.

Sakura nodded. "I am," she answered, her own hands waving through his inky locks. "I know it may seem soon, especially after everything our relationship's been through, but I don't think waiting will do us any good. Do _you_ think that?" she asked, teasing now, her smile molding into a smirk.

Sasuke raised an amused eyebrow. She gazed back into his eyes, daring him with her own raised eyebrow. She was completely unprepared for what he did next: he grasped her waist and flipped her over so that he was now on top, ripping a surprised gasp from her throat and causing her pink hair to spread all over the dark-blue pillows. As he accommodated himself above her significantly smaller body, he – intentionally, she noticed in an instant – ground his hips against hers. She failed to contain another gasp as he did so, her eyes sliding shut at the sensations his simple action had caused. There was no doubt in her mind that this period of abstinence, if it could be called so, had been necessary for their relationship to heal completely, but that didn't mean she hadn't missed the nights spent in his arms. Only now that she had him over her and knowing fully what they were about to do did she realize exactly how much, though.

Bringing his mouth as close to her ear as possible, he whispered huskily, "What do you think?"

It was a while until the pinkette gathered her bearings and was able to speak, and even then, she felt as if she had to make an almost inhuman effort to keep her voice steady. "I know we've both had doubts about being intimate again… I want you to know that mine are gone," she whispered, her forest-green eyes shining strongly with an emotion that had, by now, become oddly familiar to him – love.

It was almost amusing, to be honest. He'd once thought he would never need something as 'stupid' and as 'superficial' as love. And now – now that he had let her in his life… he wasn't sure he could live another day without seeing it in her eyes, without hearing it in her words, without noticing it in her actions. He wasn't sure he could live another day without showing her, with everything he had, that he loved her, that he adored her, that he cared for her like no one had ever done, like no one would ever have a chance to now. She was his – and this time, it was for real; not some pretense he had created because he felt entitled and addicted to the happiness she offered him so selflessly. Now it was real – and it felt far better than in his wildest dreams.

"I knew that," he confessed, gazing back into her eyes with the same intensity, the same emotion, the same unconditional adoration. "You know why? Because, this time, I know _you_." And he was slowly falling in love with each and every new piece of her that he discovered, step by step.

Touched by his words, the pinkette couldn't contain the happy smile that pulled at the corners of her lips. He was right. Everything was different this time, starting with the fact that they both knew and understood each other; it was only now that they could actually talk about true love – because it was only now that they had managed to become rid of all their façades and open up to one another to the point where they were willing to share every single part of them.

Tugging lightly on his hair, she brought his head down for a passionate kiss, loving the way he eagerly responded.

They kissed for a long time, until their lungs burned for oxygen, their hands exploring each other's bodies. They broke apart panting, slightly dizzy and even disorientated for a moment; Sasuke immediately attacked her neck, kissing and scraping the skin with his teeth, and occasionally sucking when he encountered a particularly sensitive spot. He slowly worked his way down, sensually licking the valley of her breasts while his hands alternated between massaging her thighs to gripping her hips.

All of the while, Sakura panted and writhed underneath him, dizzy with pleasure and completely overwhelmed by his presence. It was as if he were everywhere at once, worshipping her body, and all she could do was pull at his hair and pant and moan breathlessly, trying to make sense of the fact that, no matter what, she would probably never get enough of him.

As time passed, his hands traveled up and down her body, caressing gently, tenderly. Their lips met together time after time. Every breath they took was fed off each other; every moan and groan that fell past their lips was swallowed by the other. Soon, his fingers came to intertwine with hers above her head.

It was everything it should have been that night and wasn't. Sakura couldn't say she regretted having given herself to him that day. She couldn't say she would do things any differently if she were to go back in time. She couldn't say it had been a mistake. But this, now – it was the real deal.

It was physical gratification, there was no way she could deny that, but it was more than that. It was emotional. It was moving. All barriers had been broken down this time around, and if she thought she'd enjoyed it then, there were no words to describe what she was feeling now. She didn't even try to do that. She simply let herself be taken away, let herself _feel_. It was overwhelming, in a sense, being so close to the man she loved as well as having the certainly that, this time, no one would tear them apart. She had complete trust in him that he wouldn't allow that.

And this – this is how their new lives began.

* * *

_A/N: Yay, done! I tried my best to have this posted before the 25th, but I failed miserably. Forgive me? _

_One more chapter to go, and then we have the epilogue (which will be one big ball of fluff)! I plan to finish them both before this summer ends._

_As usual, you can find outfits on Flickr and make-up on my blog! _

_Review for cookies! I really want to hear your opinions and I can't eat all the cookies by myself because then my favorite pair of jeans won't fit me anymore! Logical enough? Haha! _


	38. The Future

_A/N: This is officially the last chapter. We have an epilogue to come, but this is the official end of the story._

_Thank you for your support!_

_Enjoy this big ball of fluff!_

_P.S. I went back and edited some of the outfits… because beginnings suck, and it was nagging me, haha!_

* * *

_**Incomplete**  
By The Terrorist_

_**Chapter Thirty-Eight  
**The Future_

* * *

That morning, she was awakened by light kisses peppered on her neck and shoulders. Knowing exactly whose doing they were, she smiled sleepily, but didn't open her eyes, feeling much too content the just way she was. Truth to be told, she had been feeling perfectly comfortable for a quite a while, but she was in a particularly pleasant mood at that point.

Was it not for the fact that her husband usually left for work very early in the morning, she knew he would wake her up like that every single day, and the thought caused millions of tiny butterflies to explode in her stomach.

"Sakura," he murmured into the crook of her neck, his lips ghosting over her skin, making it erupt into goose-bumps. "Wake up. We have to leave."

"Mmm, already?" she mumbled, confused and still half-asleep. She could have sworn she had only fallen unconscious a couple of minutes before.

Sasuke's chest rumbled with a chuckle. "Yes, baby. Come on," he encouraged, planting a chaste kiss on her forehead, before she felt his body leave the bed. "You can sleep on the plane if you want to, but we have to leave now."

With yet another displeasured groan, Sakura forced her heavy body to turn over and pushed herself into a sitting position, extremely reluctant to leave the warmth of her pillow behind. She stood still for a long moment, rubbing at her tired face, trying hard to chase the fuzziness away from her head; she couldn't even see straight – that's how incredibly tired she was.

Seeing her in that state pushed another chuckle past his lips. "Did I or did I not tell you to go to sleep earlier than usual?" he asked with just a hint of cockiness, to which he received a well-deserved pillow in the head.

"Shut up," she muttered, visibly upset about the whole situation. "You know perfectly well that I _tried_. I'm just not used to going to sleep at freaking eight in the evening. Sue me."

"I know," he answered, his eyes softening at the sight of her hunched over form. She had tossed and turned for a good period of time, sighs and moans of frustration escaping her lips. In the end, she found a comfortable spot on his back and slowly eased into sleep, and it was only then that he allowed himself to succumb to unconsciousness. "Come on," he encouraged, extending his hand in order to help her up. She whole-heartedly accepted his offer, gripping his hand with both of her own and allowing him to pull her up to her feet.

As soon as she regained her equilibrium, she reached out for him, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her face into his chest. Almost instantly, as her face touched the soft material of his shirt, she realized that he was already dressed and ready to go; by the smell of it, he'd even taken a shower before waking her up. The thought made her insides melt – there was no other way to put it. Ever since she came back, he had been so sweet, so caring… he seemed to think of everything, to plan down to the very last detail and use every last thing he could in order to make her comfortable. She'd once thought she'd met Sasuke's "sweet side". Only now did she realize how much she had been fooling herself.

His strong arms came to wrap around her, his warm hand rubbing up and down her back in a motion so soothing that, for a moment, she feared she might fall back asleep. But then he pulled away, kissed her forehead, and ushered her into the bathroom.

"Put something comfortable on," he instructed after a minute. "I meant what I said about you sleeping on the plane. You look like a zombie."

"Geez, thanks," the pinkette grumbled as she opened the door, toothbrush in hand. "You're so sweet."

~•~

In the plane, she slept for another good three hours, before awakening in a much better state. She stretched like a cat under the soft blanket she vaguely remembered her husband tucking over her, and then sat up, green eyes searching the room for his familiar face. She never found it, so she stood, stretched once again with her arms above her head, and after placing the blanket away in a small storage space, walked out of the cabin.

As expected, she found Sasuke seated comfortably in one of the chairs, his back to her, looking over what seemed to be a contract. On the table, in front of him, there was a thin stack of yellow files and a bottle of water which she eagerly snatched as she passed by him on her way to the seat opposite him – though not before stopping to greet him with a peck on the cheek.

"Feeling any better?" he questioned as he watched her settle into the large chair in front of him.

Sakura took her time in answering him, uncapping the bottle to take a small sip of water. The cold liquid felt refreshing as it ran down her throat, and as she leaned back, she realized she had misjudged just how comfortable the seats actually were. She could fall right back asleep on the spot.

"Much," she affirmed after she had quenched her thirst. Screwing the cap back on and placing the plastic bottle on the table, she squinted as she gazed outside, furrowing her brows. "Where are we?"

"I suspect… somewhere above the Atlantic," he answered after a brief moment of hesitation.

"Which means I slept a lot," she concluded.

"Which means you slept enough," he agreed, placing the file in his hands on the table. "Come here."

Sakura smiled as he beckoned her to him, more than willing to stand up and close the distance between them, taking a seat on his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck. Sasuke's arm came around her waist to support her as he shifted to accommodate her better, his chin lifting and his lips searching hers almost unconsciously. The pinkette's smile widened at the action, but she gave in, closing her eyes and giving him a gentle kiss. The hand that wasn't latched protectively onto her hip came up to cup her cheek, his long fingers delving into her pink locks.

"So… do we have a schedule for the week?" she asked when they broke apart.

Sasuke shifted her so that her back was half to his chest and half against the wall. "Yes," he told her and reached for one of the files; sliding out a thin sheet of paper, he allowed his wife to take it from him so that she could study it better.

"You're free until Monday," she announced, gazing at him for approval, which came in the form of a small nod. "That means we have the weekend for ourselves."

"We can walk around," he proposed, wrapping both of his arms around her and resting his chin on her shoulder. "I'll show you around the city. I can also take you to dinner."

Sakura smiled down at him. "I'd love that," she told him.

He shrugged. "Then it's settled."

"Early meeting on Monday," she continued as her eyes slid back to the paper in her hands. "I suppose I'll sleep in."

"Reception on Tuesday," he added helpfully, reading over her shoulder. "You'll accompany me to that."

"Okay…" She paused and seemed to reconsider her options. "Then I won't sleep in. I'll go shopping."

"Hn," he grunted, hiding his smirk in the fabric of her sweater. She certainly didn't make it sound like a sacrifice. "I'll be gone all day on Wednesday. You'll have to find a way to entertain yourself."

The pinkette grinned. "More shopping."

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Free day on Thursday?" she asked, eyes studying the sheet of paper.

"Aa," he answered. "Except for a meeting in the morning."

"Great! And dinner on Friday," she read. "You or we?"

"We," he confirmed, before offering, "We can spend the following weekend in Moscow, too. Explore some more, if you want."

She met his suggestion with a wide grin. "That sounds great."

"Also, I want to make a small detour on our way home," he announced.

Sakura frowned curiously. "Detour? Where?"

"Chicago," he said, being deliberately vague. "I have a couple of issues to solve there."

"That's fine by me," she answered. The paper fluttered to the table as she released it and turned in his arms, cuddling into his chest and pressing her lips to his.

~•~

It was easy for Sasuke to spot his wife into the crowd. She was, after all, wearing the most beautiful long blue dress he had ever seen. And not only that, but he knew perfectly well what her favorite part of the venue was – the large, floor-to-ceiling window that overlooked the entire city.

They had only been in Moscow for a couple of days, but Sakura had been falling in love with everything that she saw. Sasuke wondered if that was what all travels with her were like, because if they were, he was definitely bringing her along on every single one of his future business trips. She lit up his entire world. Never before had he enjoyed a trip so much, and that wasn't because they were being particularly active. No, it took less than that to make Sakura smile. It seemed amazing, but she was happy about such simple things – the smallest of them.

That was one of the reasons why he loved her. And it was definitely the reason why everyone he introduced her to instantly felt the same, as well. His father's old business partner had been completely taken with her to the point where he asked him why he hadn't brought her to their meetings.

His mother had been right when she used to say he was a blind man for not noticing the treasure he had by his side. Words couldn't describe how relieved he felt that he had managed to open his eyes in time.

"What are you thinking of?" he murmured as he came up behind her, brushing his lips briefly over the smooth skin of her shoulder as he settled his hand over her lower back. The dull roar of the reception was drowned out as they easily slipped into their small world – their own warm, comfortable cocoon.

She smiled. "Nothing," she answered. "It's a beautiful city, that's all."

"It is," he agreed.

"I never told you I've never really left the country before, did I?" she asked, shifting so that she was facing him.

Sasuke frowned. "What do you mean you've never left the country before?"

"I mean, I did," she corrected. "Once, with Seiji. He took me on a trip with his friends to Europe." Smiling wistfully, she shook her head. "It was insane. We had almost nothing of the comfort we were accustomed to back home, but… but it was still amazing. And it wasn't just about a bunch of teenagers escaping from home and getting their first taste of freedom. It was more. That heavy atmosphere we were so bothered by was… gone. Just like that." She shrugged. "I think that's where my taste for traveling comes from."

"Your parents don't seem to be the type to let their children go on a trip to Europe by themselves, even if only for appearances' sake," he commented, tucking a wavy lock of hair behind her ear.

Sakura shook her head. "They're not," she confirmed. "But Seiji always did only what he wanted. He was strong. I was strong, too, but I tended to give in most of the times. I wanted to please my parents; I wanted them to _love_ me. But Seiji was older. He probably already knew it was a lost cause, so he didn't care about that. He stood his ground until he got his way because he didn't care what they thought." Looking down, she grasped his hands and intertwined their fingers, whispering, "Like you. You didn't care what my father thought when you confronted him at the wedding."

Her beautiful green eyes were suspiciously wet when she raised her head, and he gently took her in his arms, handling her like a fragile piece of china as he coaxed her to relax in his embrace. It didn't take much effort. As soon as she felt the warmth his body radiated, she practically melted into him, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head on his shoulder.

"One day, I'm going to get crazy," he told her as they stood wrapped up in each other's arms, the world around them completely shut out.

Sakura pulled back when she heard his words, her features twisted in an amused expression.

"I'm going to take a few months off from work, steal the big jet, and take you all over the world. We're going to visit _everything_. And you're going to enjoy every minute of it."

He wasn't sure he could consider it an achievement that he had managed to take her mind off of her painful past when her eyes were filled with tears again.

"I don't know if you're being serious right now, but I'd really like that," she whispered.

"I am serious," he assured her. "And we will do it. I promise."

"And you'll teach me Russian?" she pushed, smiling up at him.

"Yes. But I must warn you, the taxes for my lessons are very high," he teased.

She raised an amused eyebrow. "Hmm, is that so?"

"Yes." Smirking, he bent his head to whisper in her ear, "You're going to have to be my sex slave for many, many weeks. And that's only for one lesson."

Sakura laughed, throwing her head back as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Well, professor, I think I might be able to handle it. What do you think?"

~•~

"Aww, look at this one!" Sakura exclaimed, fingers hovering over the screen of her iPad as she nudged her husband in the side.

He grunted, but chose to keep his eyes closed.

The pinkette took one look at him and poked him again. "Sasuke!" she complained.

A low groan rumbled in his chest as he begrudgingly opened his eyes to see what exactly had her so excited. He wasn't surprised to find out it was yet another baby cat – a stripped one this time. Rolling his eyes, he closed them again.

It was Wednesday, and Sasuke had managed to successfully pull through his early morning meeting only so that he could come back to the house he had rented for the week and collapse on the bed with his wife. The different time zone was making them both tired, but at least Sakura was her own boss when it came to her schedule.

As surprised as she had been when he came home with every intention of taking a nap, though, she didn't refuse him. She could never decline an offer to sleep wrapped up in his arms. So they curled up together under the warm comforter and slept through lunch and a little bit into the afternoon, as well. The pinkette had woken up earlier than him and busied herself with the wireless connection, after which a groggy Sasuke joined her. That, until she started cooing at kittens, and his attention was suddenly redirected to his own thoughts.

"Sasuke-kun, you can't say it's not the cutest little being you've ever seen!" she said, gesturing towards the device in her hands.

"I hate cats," he grunted.

"What?" she sputtered. "How could you possibly hate cats?"

"I do," he insisted. "They're fussy." Unlike him, his mother loved them, and he had grown up surrounded by them. He had never met another animal that could be so intent on having its way on everything. But his conception may have something to do with the fact that he had always wanted to pet them and they never cooperated.

Sakura laughed, such a happy sound that it made his heart swell.

"Sasuke, _you_ are fussy," she pointed out. "Cats are like, the perfect pets for you. They're just like you. They're arrogant, selfish, and they love to be scratched behind the ears like thi –"

He slapped her outstretched hand away before she could touch him and do a demonstration.

Laughing, she tried again, but the result was the same – only that, this time, an annoyed Sasuke rolled over and buried his face into the pillow, ignoring her as she continued to laugh.

Any other time, he would have probably found it annoying that she was amusing herself so copiously on his account, but he felt drowsy and comfortable and pleasantly warm, and the sound of her happiness was so soothing that it nearly lulled him back into sleep. Before that could happen, though, she stopped. Suddenly, her weight was resting against his back and her hand buried itself into his spiky locks, massaging his scalp just the way he liked it. He would have purred if he hadn't known that would send her in another fit of giggles.

"Are you upset?" she asked.

He grunted.

She giggled. "But really, Sasuke, if you stop to think about it… if you don't like cats, what would our pet be? One of those creepy lizards that climb on the walls?"

He raised his eyebrows at her suggestion. "That would be interesting."

"Sasuke!" she complained, playfully punching his back.

He chuckled and allowed his lips to curl into a smirk.

"I mean it!" she complained.

"A dog, Sakura," he said. Had they been open, he would have rolled his eyes. "What can be more obvious than that?"

She laughed, and her insistence ceased as she curled up on his back.

"Sasuke?" her tentative voice rang through the room after a period of peaceful silence.

"Hn?"

"Do you want to go out at all tonight?" she asked.

He shrugged.

"Because I'm not in the mood for fancy restaurants," she explained. "I've had enough of those for the week."

"Hn." He trusted her enough to be able to tell that it was a sound of agreement.

"So… how about this? We spend the rest of the day inside… we cook a light dinner, make a fire, drink some wine…" she trailed off, fingers tracing random patterns on his shirt.

"We need to buy groceries," he reminded her.

"Then we buy groceries," she said. "Wanna do that?"

"Aa," he answered. Even to him, his voice sounded odd.

"You still tired?" she murmured gently.

He took a moment to make sure his answer was honest. "More like disorientated."

"Aww, poor baby," she cooed, kissing his shoulder. "Anything I can do to help?"

He remained silent, open to suggestions.

Sakura grinned. "How about a hot bath?"

~•~

"Sakura!" he yelled, placing a hand on the doorframe as he glared in the direction of the bedroom.

"I heard you the first time, Sasuke!" his wife snapped from inside.

"You could have fooled me," he muttered sarcastically under his breath.

In a swirl of enticing perfume, she made her appearance, dressed in a black sweater and dark wash jeans. Flopping down on the small couch in the entryway of the hotel suite, she bent down to put her booties on. "How do you not tell a woman where you're taking her and then expect her to dress up in ten minutes?"

"I didn't tell you to _dress up_, I told you to put some clothes on," he retorted impatiently.

Sakura scoffed. "Oh, such a huge difference."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Apparently, it is."

"You are completely tactless," she accused. Then she also rolled her eyes. "But I believe I've told you that before."

"You have," he answered, his tone clipped.

"Okay," she said, standing up. "I'm ready. See? No need to make such a fuss." Moving past him, she grabbed her coat and took it with her to put on in the hallway. "I'm ready."

Sasuke sighed.

"Drama queen," she muttered. "I told you once, you ignored me –"

"Shut up, Sakura," he told her as he closed the door behind him, shaking his head in amusement as a laugh nearly tumbled past his lips at her antics.

~•~

Sakura's eyes were wide and her mouth was agape before he even had the chance to pull in the driveway. As the car slowly came to a stop, he killed the engine, the purr of the expensive rental car dying down.

"What is this place…?" she asked, frowning in his direction.

Sasuke unbuckled his seatbelt and motioned for her to follow him. "Come on, get out," he encouraged.

Although still confused, the pinkette listened and exited the vehicle, closing the door behind her before slowly – and rather hesitantly – trailing after him up the front steps, green eyes roaming to take in every inch of the stunning, three-story mansion that sprawled in front of her. She would have wondered if he was taking her to visit someone and if she was dressed appropriately, but there was no sign of movement in the house, no car in the driveway, no noise – nothing that indicated life save for a couple of squirrels she noticed chasing each other in a tree to her right.

A furrow between her brows, she turned around to study what had been behind her all along – the long, snowy driveway and the gates they had passed not too long ago. As she turned back around, she was met with the sight of her husband fishing a round of keys out of his coat pocket. She was left to watch in surprise and mild confusion as he found the right key, stuck in into the lock on the front door, twisted it twice – and opened their way inside the house.

Her frown deepening, her mind struggled to make connections as to what was going on. "What are you doing?" she whispered harshly. "Why do you have the keys to this?"

"Get in," he commanded, holding the door open. "It's cold outside."

Sakura was much too amazed by the view in front of her to care that he was basically ignoring her. "It's cold inside, too," she remarked as she stood in the entryway. There was a slight mist coming out of her mouth as she spoke.

"That's because no one lives here," he offered as means of explanation. Then he added with a shrug, "And partially because it isn't decorated, I suppose."

Sakura's level of confusion escalated as she started to wonder why exactly he had brought her to an empty house, but her curiosity seemed to outweigh it as her eyes registered hardwood floors and chocolate colored walls.

"Can I…?" She gestured to the small hallway in front of her.

Sasuke nodded.

Sticking her hands in the pockets of her jeans in a gesture of nervousness, she made her way further inside the house, towards the light that spilled on the wood at the end of the narrow passage. Her breath was knocked out of her when she finally came out into the open and found herself right in the heart of the mansion.

There was nothing impressive as regards to the design or the homey touches – or even a special detail on the walls. It was simple wood and a fireplace made out of stone, reminiscent of a winter chalet. But there were floor-to-ceiling windows and a gorgeous view of a snowy field that spilled right into a frozen lake, the slate grey sky as a backdrop.

One would have to be blind not to be awed by the potential of the place, and Sakura had to make a conscious effort to keep her mouth from dropping open. "It's beautiful," she whispered as she descended down the small flight of stairs that would lead her into the middle of the large room. She took hesitant steps forward, stopping every second to admire her surroundings.

"I thought you'd like it," Sasuke commented from behind her.

The pinkette nodded, still in awe as she turned to face him. "I do. It's… it's perfect." Their voices seemed to echo in the immense, void space.

"It's yours," he stated and held out the keys, keeping them in front of her as she blinked and sputtered and took a step back, struggling to recover from her shock.

"What?" she breathed out, the crease between her eyebrows deepening. She reached for the keys with trembling hands, but there was confusion etched in her expression, which prompted Sasuke to take action.

Grasping her hand, he gave it a gentle tug. "Come here," he coaxed, and led her across the room; sliding the two large glass doors open, he walked outside, onto the porch, where he leaned on the railway with her in front of him and tried to put some order into his jumbled thoughts before composing a proper explanation.

"A few weeks ago," he started, feeling her green eyes on him, "I received an offer. A job offer, to be more exact. My father wants to open a new office here."

"A new company?" she asked, surprised. The freezing wind played with her hair, forcing her to tuck it behind her ears. "As in for, a huge building with the logo on it and everything?"

He nodded. "Something like that."

"Why?" she questioned, frowning.

Sasuke shrugged. "It will be a new branch. I'm not sure myself, to be honest. I haven't considered it seriously until a few days ago."

"You haven't considered seriously what?" she prompted, still unable to tell what he was talking about.

"I haven't considered the idea of taking over this new branch," he explained.

She raised her eyebrows in surprise. "And the company back home?"

His answer was simple. "Neji."

Sakura opened her mouth to speak – once, twice – only to close it back as she realized she didn't even know what she wanted to say. Taking a step back, she tucked another rebellious strand of hair behind her ear. It was not like her to be out of her element after a simple explanation that she herself had asked for, but then again, Sasuke had always managed the impossible.

Seeing her hesitation, the Uchiha squeezed her hand and brought her closer. "Listen to me," he said, his voice coaxing her gaze to focus on him. "I'm not trying to pressure you into doing anything. On the contrary, I'm doing this for you – for us." He paused, swallowing. "That house… back home… everything – it's too much. There's three years of history there. We need a fresh start." Stepping forward, he closed the distance between them and cupped her cheek with his free hand. "_You_ need a fresh start."

Sakura's eyes filled with tears as realization dawned on her. She couldn't believe he had paid attention to her every word, to her every whisper.

"I can give us that," he told her in a gentle tone.

"That's why you brought me here," she whispered.

He nodded once. "Yes."

"That's why you bought this house," she continued.

"Yes," he agreed again. "But baby, the decision… it's up to you."

"Sasuke, I…" Stepping back, she put a bit of distance between them, her heels clicking against the wooden floor. "I can't believe you did this."

"You're mad?" he asked, frowning as he followed her.

"No!" she exclaimed, shaking her head firmly as she met him halfway. "No, of course not. I'm just… surprised. I'm really surprised. I… You thought of everything and… and I'm overwhelmed." She tried to stop before she could choke on her words and her tears, but she had so much she wanted to tell him and her heart felt as if it was ready to burst at the seams. She smiled. "Thank you, Sasuke. I don't think anyone's ever put this much effort into pleasing me… into making sure I was comfortable."

"Is that a yes?" he asked unsurely.

"Yes." A laugh tumbled past her lips along with the words. Cupping his face within her hands, Sakura stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. "Yes, it is."

~•~

They ended up in front of the fireplace, on a pallet of pillows and blankets Sasuke had mysteriously pulled out from a closet. Sakura accused him of having planned in advance; he vehemently denied, but she remained unconvinced. He was quick to strip her of her ability to think rationally, though, and as they lied tangled in the blankets, her above him, lips locked in a soft kiss, the warmth of the fire caressing her skin, his plans were the last thing on her mind.

"I can't believe you bought me a house!" she exclaimed with a laugh, throwing her head back.

"Hn," he grunted, his fingers tracing the length of her spine. "And I want you to decorate it."

Sakura smiled sweetly. "Really?"

"Yes," he answered.

"You trust me that much?" she asked gleefully, nose brushing against his.

"Yes." The words were grunted against her lips.

Sakura smiled and his hand crept into her pink locks, bringing her head down, kissing her with the lazy passion that always had her squirming. But the intensity of their kiss slowly died down this time, and she gently brushed her lips against his one last time before she allowed her head to retake its place on his warm chest, the beating of his heart filling her ears.

They remained in that position for a while, his hand moving languidly on her back as she curled up in his warmth, the only soundtrack around them that of the fire crackling and the wind howling outside.

"Do me a favor," he broke the silence, his palm flattening against her skin.

"Hmm?" she asked drowsily, lifting her head to look at him.

"Reach for my pants," he instructed.

Although confused, the pink-haired woman shifted, grasping the nearest blanket to her chest as she moved to sit up beside him. "You're not going to get dressed, are you?" she teased, raising an eyebrow. The desired piece of clothing was at a convenient distance behind them, and she dragged it into her lap, awaiting further instructions.

"I can't even fathom the idea," he retorted sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "Search in the pockets."

She seemed amused, yet still entertained, as she did what she was told. She found the right pocket on her first try, her fingers grasping a small, rectangular object. Frowning, she pulled it out to examine it in the light of the fire, her heart sputtering and then starting a frantic dance at the sight of the small, red velvet box.

"What is this?" she asked, trembling.

His voice was soft when he suggested, "Why don't you find out by yourself?"

In response, he received an unsure look, but her trembling fingers grasped the box and slowly opened it. Her breath caught in her throat. There, nestled in white silk, was her old wedding band. The wedding band she had thrown at him so much time ago. The symbol of her liberation, of her freedom, of her change. In a nutshell, the symbol of her courage to start a new life.

And Sakura knew – Sakura knew he loved her, but for him to have kept it all this time… Her eyes watered, and the sight of the ring blurred.

"I thought about getting you another one." His voice broke through her thoughts, and her head snapped up to look at him. Her heartbeat calmed at the understanding she found in his onyx orbs, and her emotions seemed suddenly easier to subdue as his gaze slowly gave her the strength to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat and continue what he had left unsaid.

"But the past has made us into who we are now. We cannot completely forget about it… and I, for one, don't want to." Slipping the ring on her finger, she was amazed by how much reassurance it brought. Her hand felt heavy, yet… yet it felt good. Flexing her fingers, she looked down. It felt right. There was nothing in the world that felt righter than this did.

And as he took her hand and slowly brought it to his lips, pressing a kiss right where the platinum band touched her skin, their eyes met.

And she knew then. She had found what she had been looking all along.

"We've learned our lessons, we've moved on," she whispered. "It's not over yet, we still have more of them. …But we have each other now, and everything will be alright."

* * *

_A/N: This is it, folks! I hope you enjoyed the end as much as I hope you enjoyed the story. _

_Before you mention anything, I know you all expected a confrontation between Sasuke and Naruto and wanted to know exactly what happened with Karin and Katya and maybe even a scene with Fugaku… and I tried to think of a way to incorporate that into the story other than simply mentioning it… and it just didn't work. It didn't fit. The entire story was focused around Sasuke and Sakura and their relationship. Had it been like, a novel, it would have made much more sense for all those things and all those scenes and all those explanations to be found in there. But it's not a novel. It's just a story, and it's come to an end._

_It feels somewhat bittersweet, to be honest. On the one hand, I'm glad that it's over. On the other, I'm sure I'll miss it. _

_Thank you, everybody. For your reviews, for your support, for your constructive criticism, for your patience, for sticking with me for all this time. This is as sappy as this A/N will get. But really, thank you!_

_Outfits on Flickr, pictures on Tumblr, as usual._

_Please review for celebratory cupcakes!_


	39. Epilogue: Dreams Do Come True

_A/N: I think this is the first time in a long time that I actually respected my deadlines, haha! _

_(Yes, their new house is in Chicago, where Sasuke said he had to make a detour.)_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

_**Incomplete**  
By The Terrorist_

_**Epilogue**  
Dreams Do Come True_

* * *

A small whine slid past Sakura's lips as she felt the clutches of consciousness slowly beginning to pull at her. Furrowing her brows, she shifted and pushed her head into the pillow, exhaling contently once she had found a more comfortable position and the bothersome sensation disappeared.

The warm feeling only lasted for a moment, though, as the sleeve on her nightgown was once again tugged and a sound began to filter through her sleep-clouded mind.

"Mommy!"

The voice was closer now, and with yet another displeased groan, Sakura opened her eyes. Instead of being met by the unforgiving light the bay windows in her bedroom offered her on a day to day basis, however, she was met with darkness. Frowning, she tried to chase the sleep away from her eyes as she turned her head in the direction of the familiar voice, concern flooding her system as she noticed her five-year-old daughter standing at the edge of the bed.

"Sweetie? What's wrong?" she whispered in the silence of the bedroom; pushing herself into a sitting position, she opened her arms wide, an offer the little girl took as she crawled further into the bed and nestled in her mother's embrace. "What happened?"

"It's snowing," she answered, big green eyes staring back at her in the darkness, but there was no excitement she had come to associate with the declaration.

"I know," the pinkette answered, choosing her words carefully while tucking a lock of dark hair behind her ear. "It's been snowing for days, Emi."

"But it's snowing really hard now," she countered. "And I can hear the wind."

As soon as she heard her words, Sakura had a sneaking suspicion she knew what this scenario was all about.

Emi hated thunderstorms – completely _loathed_ them – and ever since she found out that snow was just frozen water, she seemed to have taken a dislike to snowstorms, as well. Her mother doubted that she was _afraid_ of them, though, and leaned towards believing that she was simply looking for an excuse to sleep in her father's arms.

It was amazing how much she loved him, and how much Sasuke returned the feeling – how much he _showed_ her that. She was truly a daddy's girl. Even when she was little, and Sasuke entered the room, she would start squirming in the arms of whoever was holding her, and would only calm down when he was beside her. She even used to kick when she heard him talk. It was as if she had always been able to sense his presence. Though there seemed to be something about the Uchiha men in general, because she also adored her grandfather and especially her uncle.

Sasuke loved her more than anything, too. He was always eager to spend time with her, something that Sakura found to be extremely sweet. He helped her with her homework and took her with him to work. She never had to ask for anything, and when she did, she had it in an instant. Sakura would complain that he was spoiling her, because he was, but the truth was that they both took care that she would grow into an amazing person despite having had everything at the fingertips the moment she was born.

But of course, Emi was too stubborn and cared about her pride a little too much to admit that she wanted to sleep with her parents at her age – even though it was clear that Sasuke would never deny her that – so she used an excuse. And of course she would insist on keeping it up even when he wasn't home, because she didn't want to ruin the appearances.

Too bad Sakura knew both her and her father so well.

Kissing her forehead, the pinkette smiled down at her daughter. "How about a cup of hot chocolate?" she suggested. "And then you can sleep with me."

In response, she received a nod and a wide smile.

"Come on." Letting her slide from her lap, Sakura ran a hand through her tangled hair and heaved a quiet sigh. By the time she had pushed the covers aside and slung her legs over the edge of the bed, Emi had already skipped out of the room, leaving her to shake her head at her enthusiasm. Pausing for a moment to wrap a robe around her silk nightgown, she found her warm slippers and followed after her daughter, a smile creeping up her lips as she noticed that all the lights on the way to the kitchen were lit.

The raven-haired girl had already taken a seat at the table, and Sakura made her way towards the cupboards where they stored the hot chocolate both of them liked. Sasuke avoided that section of the kitchen like the plague, but she supposed that after so many years of marriage, the situation could only amuse her.

"Mommy, when is Daddy coming back home?" she heard her daughter ask, and she didn't know whether to smile or roll her eyes.

"In just a few days, Emi," she answered, moving around the kitchen with ease.

"That's what you said the last time I asked!" she exclaimed in indignation.

Sakura didn't need to turn around to know that she was pouting.

"And the last time you asked was last night," she countered, throwing her a knowing look over her shoulder.

As expected, Emi was slouched into her seat with her arms crossed over her chest and her lips in a pout.

Sakura smiled. "Emi, we both miss him," she started in a gentle tone, pausing her activities to walk over to where she was seated and crouch down in front of her. "I would bring him back if I could, but we both know that I can't. Your father has to work, and there's nothing either of us can do about that."

The words seemed to deflate her countenance. "I know."

"Then stop pouting," Sakura said, poking her nose adoringly. She stood and was halfway across the kitchen when a muffled noise caught her attention, making her eyebrows draw together. "Where's Boomer?" she asked her daughter, but she seemed just as confused as she was.

She shrugged. "I left him in my room. I think he went back to sleep, since he was too lazy to follow me," she explained.

"Stay here," Sakura ordered as she walked out of the kitchen and made her way towards the source of the noise, passing the living room and entering the small hallway near the entrance.

Her eyes widened when they came across a shadow looming in the doorway and a gasp escaped her lips when she realized that she recognized that shadow.

"Sasuke!" she exclaimed, and thought of nothing else as she jumped into his arms. He was cold and smelled of winter, and when she pulled back, she saw rapidly melting snowflakes in his dark hair. "What are you doing here?" she asked, but didn't give him a chance to answer as she cupped his face within her hands and kissed him.

He had been due to come back in under another week, and she was truly curious to hear his reasons for having lied to her, but feeling his lips on hers seemed to be more important, especially after having spent two whole weeks apart.

Sasuke chuckled into their kiss. "Well, I would tell you if you let me," he said.

Sakura pulled back, playfully slapping his arm. "Shut up!" she commanded, adoration as clear as day in her green eyes, before she wrapped her arms around his neck in a tight embrace. "You have no idea how much I missed you!"

He buried his face into her pink hair and breathed her in, his arms tightening around her as he murmured, "I think I might have one, actually."

She smiled softly from where she had stuck her head into the crook of his neck, and had every intention of pressing his lips back to his, but their tender moment was interrupted as little footsteps thundered down the hallway and an obviously excited voice called out, "Daddy!"

The parents managed to detangle themselves from their embrace just as their daughter came into sight, giving Sasuke enough time to catch her as she practically flew into his arms.

"What are you both doing up at this hour?" he asked, brows furrowing.

Sakura smiled. "Well, your daughter remembered that she isn't too fond of snowstorms – and we decided that some hot chocolate would warm us up," she explained.

"Emi, what did I tell you?" Sasuke asked, his gaze turning towards his daughter. "Didn't I tell you not to bother your mother too much?"

In response, the girl smiled the dazzling, sheepish smile she knew always got her what she wanted. "Yeah, but you weren't there, so…"

"Stop being silly," Sakura cut in with a roll of her eyes. "I'm her mother, that's what I'm here for. Now, let's let Daddy get more comfortable while we finish making our hot chocolate, alright?"

~•~

When he came back downstairs, he found both his wife and his daughter on the couch, giggling as they lightly tickled each other. Had he been any other type of man, Sasuke would have smiled at the sight.

Sakura was such an amazing mother – not too stern, but not too yielding, either. She imposed respect naturally, but she would give everything in return. She would listen to the silliest things Emi told her and even so, she would know how to give her a good advice. Everything with her had an answer, every problem a solution, and while that had always reassured Sasuke, now it did the same for their daughter. Emi might seem like a daddy's girl, but Sasuke knew she adored her mother just as much.

"What are you two doing?" he asked as he made his way further into the living room, walking around the couch to take a seat next to his family. Emi jumped on him in the next second, and as stories from school and home, of friends and grandparents and uncles and a mother filled his ears, Sasuke barely had a moment to see Sakura's soft smile as she watched him.

Eventually, the chatter died down, as the wind howled outside and the snow kept on falling. The focus of the conversation shifted to Sasuke and Sakura, and Emi nestled up against her father and rested her head on his chest, savoring the warmth and protection of his arms that she had missed so much. Slowly but surely, her eyes began to drop, and as much as she wanted to spend more time with her father, the sensation was too much to bear and the comfort was too big to resist; the voices of her parents lulled her to sleep.

"How have you been feeling?" Sasuke asked, one of his hands coming to rest on his wife's stomach, revealing the barely-there bump her loose nightgown hid.

"…Better," she answered after a slight moment of hesitation.

His eyes narrowed. "That didn't sound very convincing to me."

"I'm still not feeling perfect," she explained. "But I'm better. Your mother was there for me whenever I needed her." Mikoto may have stayed behind when they moved to Chicago, but with both of her sons away, there was nothing truly tying her to that place, so when she found out she had a beautiful baby granddaughter, she flew across the country to see her. The moment she held her in her arms for the first time, she swore she was never leaving her side again, and Sakura had found in her something she had never had – a mother.

"Good," Sasuke said, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

She smiled widely. "I'm so happy you're home," she gushed.

"Aa," he answered. "Me too."

Pouting, she cocked her head to the side in a childish manner. "Don't leave again."

"I won't," he assured her, either ignoring the fact that she was joking or not picking up on it at all. "I wouldn't have left if it hadn't been completely necessary."

Smiling, Sakura decided not to start an argument over his protectiveness – not that night. "I know," was all she said.

Sasuke had been adamant about not leaving her alone when she was pregnant with Emi, and she wasn't sure how, but he had done it. Managing an entire company was definitely more challenging than it would have been if Neji had been there with him, so Sakura had no idea to whom he delegated every single business trip, but he had managed the impossible and stuck by her side throughout the entire pregnancy and most of Emi's first months of life.

He was even home more often than usual – _suspiciously_ more often. She would have grown annoyed that he insisted so much on pampering her, and she had been on the verge of screaming at him a couple of times, but ultimately, she knew that he did it out of love for both her and their child, so she had always refrained herself from commenting.

She had finally put her foot down when Sasuke, knowing that there was no way he could evade this particular business trip, had started to brood for hours in an effort to find a way out. The pinkette could not deny that, so far, this pregnancy had been worse than the one before, what with her throwing up for hours consecutively in the mornings, but she could handle herself.

That didn't mean it wasn't a relief to finally have her husband back at home, though.

"We missed you," she whispered, caressing his cheek. "Emi's been asking about you at least twice a day."

Sasuke huffed an amused breath, a small smirk present on his face as he gazed down at his now asleep daughter, running his fingers through her long hair. Maybe it was the fact that he hadn't been away from them in so long or maybe it was the worry constantly present in his gut when he thought about his wife's condition, but he had missed his family more than usual. He was glad to have been able to arrive before the weather got any worse and the airports closed down completely.

"We should go to bed," Sakura said, her voice hushed, as she stood to gather the empty cups on the coffee table.

Sasuke shifted Emi in his arms until he was able to pick her up; the girl wrapped her small arms around his neck and buried her face into his chest even in her unconscious state. He decided not to wait for his wife as he climbed up the stairs and headed for his daughter's bedroom; with the warmth of the chocolate in her system and the knowledge of her father home in her mind, she didn't even stir as the cool sheets touched her back and the comforter was tucked around her. After stopping for a moment to brush the dark locks of hair away from her face and place a kiss on her forehead, Sasuke stood and silently moved out of the room, the door closing softly behind him.

He met Sakura down the hallway, halfway to their room. The pinkette had obviously decided to put off washing the cups until the following day and she wrapped her arms around his waist, titling her head back to receive a kiss – a wish that Sasuke granted her whole-heartedly.

"I don't think there's any chance of us getting out of the house tomorrow," she murmured as she buried her face into the crook of his neck. "So we can look forward to sleeping in and cuddling by the fire…"

Sasuke smirked in her hair. "We can send Emi to her grandparents…" he suggested, flattening his hands on the small of her back.

Sakura laughed. "I don't think Emi's going to be so willing to leave the comfort of her father's presence after so much time spent missing it."

He rolled his eyes. "It's only for one night."

"Tell that to your daughter," she countered with a grin.

"I will," he replied confidently. "And I'll promise to buy her something, too."

The pinkette threw her head back, but this time, her laugh was cut off by his lips.

"I love you," she told him gently after they had broken apart, green eyes boring into his.

Sasuke tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "I love you, too."

It was not often that she heard the words, so she smiled – so sweetly and so genuinely and so brightly that Sasuke wondered, for the umpteenth time, what exactly he had done to deserve such an amazing woman.

"Come on," she said, tugging on his hand. "Let's go to bed."

In the end, he always reached the same conclusion. It didn't matter. What mattered was her, Emi, the child they had on the way – the family he had never dared to dream of having. And for that, he would be forever grateful to Sakura – for being in his life and for remaining there in spite of anything and everything.

* * *

_A/N: This is it. A huge thank you goes to everybody who supported me! And I guess if you follow my other stories, we shall hear from each other again soon!_

_(Updates may slow down from now on, though, because my last year of high-school is about to start, and I have a feeling I will be much, much busier than I would like.)_

_Emi basically means blessing, grace, kindness, and beauty – all together; but Uchiha Emi sounds good, and that's probably more important._

_Also! I have set up a poll on my profile for you to help me decide which stories I will focus on in my free time (meaning, when I'm not in the mood to write anything of what I've already posted). You have two choices, but please use them only to vote for a story from each category—Naruto and Shaman King—since I will choose one from each. So, using both votes for the two Naruto stories doesn't make my choice or my life any easier._

_Review, please! You will receive chocolate chip cookies to celebrate the fact that I can finally, after three long years, mark this story as complete! Yayyy!_

_Much love! :)_


End file.
